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AfCFTA: West, Central African port leaders summit’ll boost trade facilitation – Koko

*Oyetola confident about gains of summit

Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, has said that the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa, PMAWCA, Annual Council and 18th Managing Directors’ Roundtable on the NPA, would further boost the realisation of African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.

He said this ahead of the event, which is scheduled to hold from 6th to the 9th of November 2023 at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.

The event, which would be opened by President Bola Tinubu is titled: “The Role of Ports in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”

Koko said: “Our confidence in hosting this conference in demonstration of our readiness to provide regional leadership in Port competitiveness is inspired by the uncommon trade facilitation orientation of Mr. President who is already endorsing some of our initiatives for the maximization of our littoral assets under the auspices of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.”

Also speaking on Nigeria’s preparedness and expectations from the conference, the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola said: “This gathering of maritime experts is very timely as it is coming when Nigeria is eager to provide the leadership necessary to convert our marine and blue economy potentials to actualities in a bid to provide opportunities for our growing youth population”. He added that “to demonstrate the premium we place on maximizing the emerging opportunities of AfCFTA which is the focal point of the conference, we have given the Nigerian Ports Authority all the support necessary for a flawless hosting”.

The forum is a platform for the cross-fertilisation of ideas, experiences and knowledge sharing to guide necessary policy action towards maximizing the maritime comparative advantage of the sub-region

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