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The African Continental Free Trade Area Launched

After months of delay due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the African Continental Free Trade Area was officially launched on the 1st January 2021. 

African countries have officially begun trading under the new continental free trade agreement.

The AFCFTA primary aims to being together over 1.3billion people in a $3.4 trillion economic bloc, which will be the largest free trade area since the World Trade Organisation was established. Predicted estimates forecast the free trade agreement could lift tens of millions of people out of poverty by the year 2035. The trade agreement is primary in place to boost trade among fellow African nations, as the continent has previously received low internal trade.

Backers claim that trade among fellow African nations will increase substantially and thus allowing the continent to establish its own value chains of distribution. Every African country is participating in the agreement, except from Eritrea, with a total of 54 nations involved.

Ghana’s President Nana Akufo- Addo indicated “There is a new Africa emerging with a sense of urgency and purpose and an aspiration to become self-reliant. COVID-19 has demonstrated that Africa is overly reliant on the export of primary commodities, overly reliant on global supply chains, when the global supply chains are disrupted, we know that Africa suffers.”

To read more, Click Here
For further information regarding the African Continental Free Trade Area, Click Here

Source: Aljazeera, January 2021

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Nigerian Land Boarders to Reopen Soon Says President

After much debate, President Muhammadu Buhari has announced that the Nigerian Government are considering re-opening the land boarders ‘as soon as possible’.

The land boarders have been closed since August 2019 to decrease the level of illegal food and agricultural products being smuggled into Nigeria from neighbouring countries.

President Muhammadu Buhari announced the intention via social media on Tuesday, tweeting ‘In my meeting with State Governors today I explained that the closure of Nigeria’s land borders was partly an attempt to control the smuggling in of weapons & drugs. Now that the message has sunk in with our neighbours, we’re looking into reopening the borders as soon as possible.”

Zainab Ahmed, The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, revealed last month that issue had been indicated and will be brought before the President to make a final decision.

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Source: Nairametrics, December 2020

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BtoB Events announces FABWA BWA and WAAS will return in 2021

Three of Nigeria’s most popular trade and retailer exhibitions are set to return in 2021, BtoB Events, the country’s leading exhibition organiser, has announced.

Food and Beverage West Africa will run from June 16th-18th, the West Africa Automotive Show is scheduled for July 13th–15th and Beauty West Africa will take place from November 17th-19th 2021, all to be held at the Landmark Centre, Lagos.

BtoB Events was forced to rescheduled its entire 2020 calendar to 2021 due to the continued disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on global travel and commerce.

The 2021 exhibitions will be opened in accordance with the All Secure Standard for the global reopening of exhibitions post COVID. Attendees and exhibitors can be reassured that they will be safe and feel relaxed in the business-friendly environment onsite.

Jamie Hill, BtoB Event’s Managing Director, told journalists, “We’ll be creating new features across our portfolio whilst also exploring new ideas and opportunities brought about digitally during the pandemic. We’re all really excited about re-energising our exhibition portfolio across Nigeria in 2021 as there is a huge amount of pent-up demand for international exhibitions.”

“We are excited by the interest we have had expressed to us already and are looking forward to welcoming new exhibitors, country pavilions and attendees to our leading trade fairs covering the Food, Automotive and Beauty Industries.”

Retailers and distributors in Nigeria will be familiar with the exhibitions with thousands having visited the events which promote local enterprises and SMEs alongside major regional and international companies.

Regarded as the best food and drink exhibition of its kind in the region, FABWA hosted 130 exhibitors and attracted 4,300 professional visitors from across West Africa in 2019. In addition to more international pavilions and VIP attendees, the 2021 show will boost the visitor experience with an expanded conference and presentations programme.

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Source: The Guardian, November 2020

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State Governor approves full reopening of Lagos markets

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the reopening of Markets within the Lagos state.

The announcement was made by the Lagos Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr Wale Ahmed, this morning. The statement highlighted that both food and non food markets can be reopened and operate every day of the week (Monday-Sunday).

The news has been met with great enthusiasm and energy from traders and distributors, as currently the markets were limited to opening on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The statement from Dr Wale Ahmed read in part, “Mr Governor took the decision to further enhance trade and commerce and mitigate the hardship of recent times and ensure that Lagosians can recover fast.

“Mr Governor also advised the continued observance of all safety protocols.

“Traders and their customers must adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols for their safety and the citizenry at large.”

To read more, Click Here

To Register your attendance to the Food and Beverage West Africa Exhibition for free, Click Here

Source: The Punch, October 2020

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Food and Beverage West Africa postponed until 2021

As highlighted in previous communications, the BtoB Events Ltd team have been carefully monitoring the situation regarding the pandemic and the effects that it will have on the hosting of the Food and Beverage West Africa Exhibition. Despite the outlook in Nigeria being rather encouraging, with the case numbers reducing on a daily basis and the international airport opening earlier this month the global picture is not quite as promising.

We recently introduced a survey for our all of our exhibitors and partners requesting their feedback and preference with regards to when to host the next edition of FAB West Africa. The feedback we receive is absolutely paramount to us, and over 90% of exhibitors confirmed that they would prefer for the exhibition to take place in 2021 as opposed to December 2020. We have therefore decided that the correct decision is to postpone the FAB West Africa exhibition to new dates in 2021.

The new dates for the exhibition will be June 16th – 18th 2021, at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.

These new dates provide us with enough time to feel absolutely confident of hosting a fantastic event with a huge turnout. A number of vaccination programs look likely to be rolled out in Q1 2021, which will also help to alleviate any concerns.

The FAB West Africa exhibition will continue to be organised in line with the BtoB Events global ‘All Secure Standard’ for the safe opening of exhibitions.

Kind Regards

The Food and Beverage West Africa Team

For more information on you can exhibit at FAB West Africa 2021, please Click Here

To register your attendance as a visitor for free, please Click Here

 

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Nigerian airports scheduled to reopen for international flights on August 29

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika says four flights will begin landing daily in Lagos and four in Abuja.

Nigeria’s aviation minister has said the country will reopen its airports for international flights from August 29, introducing protocols to minimise the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Home to some 200 million people, Africa’s most populous country has registered 49,068 confirmed Coronavirus cases and 975 related deaths. Some 36,500 people have recovered so far.

Mr Hadid Sirika was quoted saying “Glad to announce the resumption of international flights from the 29th of August, 2020. Beginning with Lagos and Abuja as we did with the domestic flight resumption. Protocols and procedures will be announced in due course. We thank you for your patience.”

Nigeria resumed domestic flights on July 8, and Sirika said there had been no confirmed coronavirus transmissions on flights.

To read more, Click Here

Source: Aljazeera, August 2020

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Nestlé-IDH partnership to boost sourcing practices in Central and Western Africa

Multinational food and beverage giant Nestlé has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, as part of the Grown Sustainably in Africa (GSA) programme.

The three-year partnership aims to support 25,000 farmers and 50 SMEs, as well as open up new markets for them in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, increasing employment and food security.

According to Nestlé, the collaboration seeks to develop and empower these farmers and SMEs to help Nestlé meet its goal of boosting its responsibly and regionally-produced raw materials used in the local production of its Maggi, Milo and Cerelac brands from 60% to 70% by 2022.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the agricultural sector helps to support food security and eradicate hunger in the region, contributing about 15% of total GDP. However, based on current trends, the food production system in sub-Saharan Africa will only meet 13% of its food demand by 2050.

To read more, Click Here

Source: Biz Community, May 2020

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President Signs COVID-19 Regulations

President Muhammadu Buhari last night in Abuja gave legal teeth to his Sunday night directive that has locked down Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), by signing the Covid-19 Regulations 2020 in accordance with Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act (CAP Q2 LFN 2004).

The regulations declared Covid-19 as a dangerous and infectious disease.
A statement by the president’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the regulations, which took effect from yesterday, March 30, 2020, would serve as a legal backing to various measures unveiled by the president during his national broadcast on March 29, 2020.
The statement also said such measures like the restriction/cessation of movement in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Ogun State, among other decisions are aimed at containing the spread of the pandemic in the country.

The statement added that in addition to measures aimed at enabling Nigerians to perform on-line transactions and use automatic teller machine (ATMs) during these restrictions, the regulations grant exemption to the financial system and money markets.
The financial system exemption, the statement added, was aimed at allowing very skeletal operations with a view to keeping the system in light operations while these regulations subsists.

The statement read: “In exercise of the powers conferred on him by Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act (CAP Q2 LFN 2004), and all other powers enabling him in that behalf, President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, signed the Covid-19 Regulations, 2020, which declared Covid-19 a dangerous infectious disease.

“The Regulations, effective March 30, 2020, also gave legal backing to the various measures outlined in the President’s National Broadcast on March 29, 2020, such as Restriction/Cessation of Movement in Lagos, FCT and Ogun States and others toward containing the spread of the pandemic in the country.

“In addition, to ensure that Nigerians can still perform on-line transactions and use ATMs whilst observing these restrictions, an exemption is granted financial system and money markets to allow very skeletal operations in order to keep the system in light operations during the pendency of these regulations.”

To read more, Click Here

Source: This Day, March 2020

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No More Debate: Nigeria Tops South Africa as Africa’s Biggest Economy

Nigeria powers ahead as being the largest economy in Africa. As if a recession wasn’t enough bad news for South Africa, it’s now confirmed as the continent’s second-largest economy.

The debate between the two largest economies in Africa, South Africa and Nigeria, has finally been settled.

Africa’s gross domestic product, is the biggest economy on the continent has long depended on which exchange rate you use for the West African nation.

But now both the official naira rate of 306 per dollar and the weaker market exchange rate of around 360 that almost all investors use put Nigeria tops.

Nigeria’s economic growth beat forecasts in the fourth quarter, helping its economy to expand the most in four years in 2019 as oil output increased and the central bank took steps to boost credit growth.

GDP in the West African country stood at $476 billion or $402 billion, depending on the rate used.

To read more, Click Here

Source: Business Day, March 2020

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Concerns rise over annual importation of 700,000mt of sugar into Nigeria

The Federal Government has raised concern over the annual importation of about 700,000 metric tonnes (MT) of sugar into the country despite the abundance of the resource locally. 

The Minister Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, who was on a facility tour of the Flour Mills Nigeria Plc Sunti Golden Sugar Estates, in Mokwa, Niger State, stressed the government’s readiness to support the private sector in ensuring Nigeria achieved self-sufficiency in sugar production.

The move comes against the backdrop of the implementation of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan, aimed at attracting over $1 billion annually in local and foreign direct investments, and creating an estimated 107,000 jobs over the first 10-year period.

The Minister said efforts by the private sector to boost sugar production would go a long way in reducing the level of unemployment, saying: “Nigeria is working towards being self-sufficient in sugar, we have been able to do it in cement, and we are trying to do it in sugar.

“As time goes on, we will not import sugar anymore; we will produce more than enough for our use and possibly export. We also want to take advantage of the Africa Developmental Free Trade Area Agreement, so that we can export to other African countries,” Adebayo said.

However the Chairman Suntai Golden Sugar Estates, John Coumantaros, disclosed that it has invested about N64billion into production in the country, and still intends to invest an additional N34billion in infrastructural development for the host community and the factory.

He disclosed that Nigeria consumes about 1.3million MT, while the Suntai and Savanah Farms produce about 600,000MT, meaning, the country imports 700,000MT of sugar annually.

The Chairman disclosed that added that the company plans to engage over 60,000 Nigerians in direct and indirect employment over the next 10 years, adding that “with about 17,000 hectares of land they would be producing about 100,000-150,000MT of sugar when the land is fully developed, we currently produce for the local market.”

To find out more, Click Here
Source: The Guardian, January 2020

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