NICOP is working to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs in selected value chains (tomato/chilli, ginger, leather and garment), promote trade and exports. Central to achieving any cohesive competitiveness strategy is the need to address constraints and gaps in the regulatory and administrative support mechanisms for these targeted value chains at national, state and local levels. NICOP is working to map and analyse regulatory environment for the selected value chains with the aim of addressing identified gaps and constraints through a participatory process involving private and public sector actors and stakeholders.
As part of this mapping and analysis process, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, organized a one-day roundtable forum with trade policy and enabling environment actors at federal level with the following objectives;
- to provide platform for public and private sector actors (including development and donor agencies) for robust engagement on Nigeria’s current trade policy and business enabling environment eco-system;
- to highlight and discuss specific emerging issues, policies and regulations with possible impact on the competitiveness of the NICOP value chains;
- to collect and collate input from stakeholders on the programme’s implementation plan and priority areas;
- to understand what policies and regulations other policy actors (from both public and private sectors) are currently working on especially those with possible effect on the selected VCs and opportunities for collaboration with NICOP; and
- to launch Trade Policy and Enabling Environment Forum for experience and information sharing and collaboration.
The event took place on 9th July 2019 at Chelsea Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja.
