About us

Establishment of Nigeria Trade Offices abroad is one of those strategies to promote our non-oil exports, as well as increase the inflows of investments. To achieve these goals, the Offices must be adequately staffed and funded in order to make them effective and very operational. Their operational effectiveness could provide a trading architecture that will enable Nigeria to be a key player in international trade both at regional, continental and multilateral levels. It will also provide the tools for trade to contribute maximally to Nigeria’s macroeconomic indices such as GDP, employment, investments, foreign exchange earnings and inflationary stability etc.

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) therefore needs a living document that serves as a guide for the establishment and operations of the NTOs. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE OFFICE

a) increased volume of trade: The desire to increase volume trade with trading partner(s) that hitherto enjoyed unhindered trade surplus against Nigeria could be a factor to establish an NTO in other to change the game play and the scenario.
 
(b) export expansion and business diversification: It is pertinent to embark on massive production of commodities and products which require offtake by trading partners. An NTO could assist in marketing these commodities and products.  
 
(c) increased investment inflows: Increase FDI is important for the economic development of a Nation. Attracting FDI from regions with surplus financial resources to needy countries become imperative.
  
(d) capturing Diasporas markets and investable funds: The economic importance of Nigerian-in-diaspora/markets and their investible funds cannot be over emphasized. The Diasporas are also looking for save heaven to invest. That assurances need to be given to them through aggressive investment drive.
 
(e) negotiating and creating market access: International trade liberalization and market access are only achieved through intensive negotiations and lobbying. For a result-oriented outcome through this approach, the physical presence of our Negotiators as country delegation at the centre of this multilateral negotiations become necessary.  
 
(f) addressing trade imbalance as well as trade complaints and enquiries: The major trading partners with Nigeria often have trade complaints and enquiries with us, as well as we having such issues with them. Having NTOs close to such regions to address those issues among others, could have tremendous impact on our trade relations.  
 
(g) addressing trade facilitation bottlenecks and non-tariff barriers: The importance of trade facilitation internationally has gain momentum at the WTO and member countries are desirous to have the agreement concluded and implemented to the letters. However, Nigeria as a country have issues on Trade facilitation bottlenecks with some of her major trading partners in the areas of imposition of non-tariff barriers on our exports and imports as well, despite the conclusion of Trade Facilitation agreement in Bali Indonesia in 2013 during the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference.  
 
(h) attracting abundant regional and international financial resources to Nigerian economy: The abundance of trade and financial resources in some regions of the world calls for intensive and intensified efforts by Nigeria Government to establish the physical presence of our NTOs because of stiff competition for such resources by competitor nations.
 
(i) supporting and facilitating private sector -led establishments of Export Warehouses abroad etc.: There is an increasing calls for the establishment of a private sector led Export Warehouses abroad. The Presence of NTOs in regions desirous of such trade support infrastructures could be helpful in facilitating the process. 
 
(j) The office commitment to boost intra-ECOWAS trade – “Within ECOWAS, work to increase internal sub -regional trade, promote joint industrialisation and joint infrastructural projects.”

 

(k) An interest in leading global trade reforms for Africa’s interests – “Lead Africa in seeking reforms in the World Trade Organisation and international financial institutions and in our bilateral relationships with the leading economic nations that will promote and protect African industrialisation and obtain fairer deals for our current exports.

MANDATES OF THE NIGERIA TRADE OFFICE, GHANA

1. Maintain and strengthen existing mutual economic ties and bilateral trade and investment relation between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Ghana
2. Liaise with Ghanaian Government Agencies in charge of trade and investment to facilitate trade and investment drive between the two countries.
3. Assist Nigerian Traders in Ghana to develop and explore mutual trade and investment opportunities in Ghana.
4. Provide business linkages to the organized private sector in Nigeria including chambers of Commerce and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
5. Provide information on exportable non- oil export from Nigeria
6. Provide counselling and guidance on trade and investment regulations on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement
7. Promoting Nigerian businesses in Ghana
8. Attracting Investment to Nigeria
9. Facilitating Trade Missions, exhibitions and commercial partnerships, resolving trade disputes through cooperation with Ghanaian Authority and Traders.
10. investment drives;
11. trade and export promotion drives;
12. market access drives;
13. tourism and cultural drives;
14. technical cooperation and assistance drive etc

NIGERIA TRADERS-GHANA TRADER RELATION

Ghanaian Market traders sometimes took the law into their own hands, which prompted the Ghanaian authorities to do an audit of retail shops which necessitated the close down of over 300 Nigerian-run stalls. The Ghanaian law seeks to protect smaller local traders and those running small businesses like barbers or beauty salons. Nigeria on the other hand was accused by the Ghanaian Government of closing its border against goods from Ghana. The argument is that Nigeria by closing its Seme border hindered goods from Ghana entering into Nigerian markets which Ghanaians considered as economic sabotage. The two West African nations have been at loggerheads over trade for decades, without serious consequences. Until recently, the intensifying mistreatment of Nigerian nationals in Ghana. Nigerians who have been doing business in Ghana have been harassed, and had over 300 of their shops closed with all sorts of molestation and intimidation.

​However, in May and June 2021, both countries saw the need to hold a high-level bilateral meeting, the Nigerian delegation led by the Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and representatives of the Ghanaian Government led by the Ghanaian Minister of Trade and Industry. This meeting gave birth to the inauguration of an inter-ministerial committee and The Nigeria-Ghana Bilateral Trade Commission.

​There is the need to complement these policy thrusts with a Pan-African disposition. Citizenship policy is needed to promote the interest of the people but it must be tailored to accommodate other countries hence the approval by the Nigerian President in 2021 to establish the Nigeria Trade office in Accra Ghana to handle issues related to the Nigeria traders, other trade and investment related matters and the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).

ACTIVITIES / FUNCTIONS

✓ Liaising with government functionaries in Ghana including top government officials to facilitate trade and investment between Nigeria and Ghana
✓ Complement the works of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and other relevant Trade and investment related agencies in Nigeria on export promotion and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) drive for Nigeria
✓ Provide trade and investment information on exportable non-oil commodities from Nigeria
✓ Handle and respond to trade inquiries on Nigeria, provide reports on Nigerian Companies and process trade complaints,
✓ Provide business linkages to the organized private sector in Nigeria e.g. Chambers of Commerce, Manufacturers Association, etc.
✓ Undertake market surveys for the guidance of Nigerian exporters and Nigerian companies interested in doing business in Ghana
✓ Provide information on trade and investment regulations, export requirements and market situations’ as well as the AfCFTA
✓ Organize and participate in seminars, workshops and conferences using such platform to disseminate information to the business community in Ghana
✓ Participate at relevant trade fairs and exhibitions to collect information on Ghana trade/investment matters and disseminate information about Nigeria’s products and business, incentives to the business community in Ghana as well as guide Nigerian companies doing business in Ghana
✓ Participation in meetings of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement
✓ Identify and Strengthen key Bilateral priorities between Nigeria and Ghana and ECOWAS protocols
✓ External Consultation with relevant Nigerian Organized Private Sector in Ghana, Ghanaian Government Agencies and private firms

 

EVENTS AND AWARDS

❖ Participation in the Maiden edition of the African Prosperity Dialogue in Ghana from 26th – 28th January, 2023
❖ Participation in the Second edition of the African Prosperity Dialogue in Ghana from 25th – 27th January, 2024
❖ Participation at the 28th Ghana International Trade Fair from 1st – 7th March, 2024
❖ Organization of Nigeria Day at the Ghana International Trade Fair on the 4thMarch, 2024
❖ Participation at the Africa’s Peace, Investment and Tourism Summit from 15th – 17th April, 2024 at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana.
❖ Participation at the Ghana Annual Economic Counselors Dialogue 2024 in Accra on 30th April, 2024
❖ Participation at the brief of the High Commissioners and Ambassadors of the AU Member States by the AfCFTA Secretariat on 14th May, 2024
❖ Participation at the National Council Meeting of the Nigeria Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG) on the 18th May, 2024
❖ Participation at the Third Senior Officials meeting (SON) and Technical Consultations on ECOWAS Matters between Nigeria and Ghana on the 24thJune, 2024
❖ Participation at the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council 6th Mid – year Coordination meeting at the Accra International Conference Centre from the 18th– 21st July, 2024
❖ Participation at the second National Council meeting of the Nigeria Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG) at Central Region on the 10th August, 2024
❖ Organization of Sensitization Workshop on the Implementation of AfCFTA and Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) in Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana on the 21stAugust, 2024
❖ Participation in AfCFTA meetings held in Accra virtually and physically.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Intervention to open up of over 290 Nigerian Trades shops across Ghana constituting about 90% of closed down shops
• Nigerian Traders in all the 16 regions across Ghana are now going about their businesses without harassment and molestation by either the Ghanaian Authority or their Ghanaian counterparts due to the NTO interventions with the Ghanaian Government and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA)
• Harmonizing and Coordinating the activities of the Nigeria Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG) with its counterpart the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA)
• Representation of Nigeria’s interest at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) during meetings
• Nigeria’s inclusion to the second phase of the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the AfCFTA
• Organization of Sensitization workshop for the Nigerian Traders in Takoradi, Western Region in Ghana on the implementation of the AfCFTA and Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) on the 21st August, 2024

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