Minister says FG will create enabling environment for investments to thrive

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah said that the Federal Government would create enabling environment for investment to thrive and improve trade, export and regulation.

Enelamah said this when the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Amb. Roberto Azevedo, met with organised private sector on trade and investment.

He said that Nigeria would remain fully committed to free international trade, in spite of its current economic circumstances.

Enelamah said the government would also ensure that policies initiated by past administration were implemented.

Azevedo, who was on a one-day visit to Nigeria, said he would depart from the country with a better understanding of its challenges on trade and investment.

He said the private sector would be carried along by the World Trade Organisation to enable it to address the issues.

Azevedo advised the Nigeria’s private sector to make its voice heard in the current debate about the WTO’s future work.

The WTO boss expressed delight that Nigeria would continue to work with multilateral organisations.

He said the trade group would soon start conversations on important issues for the country, including development of small and medium scale enterprises ``as biggest employers of labour in developing countries''.

“We want to bring the private sector close so that we can understand the main challenges."

Azevedo said he was in Nigeria to make trade a catalyst to achieving the continent's development goals.

"It seemed appropriate that my first visit to Africa since the success of our Ministerial Conference should be to Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy, and a leader in all senses of the word.

"I want to discuss how the WTO can do more to serve Nigeria,’’ Azevedo said.

According to him, the world governments are struggling with a gloomy economic outlook and a range of challenges to delivering a return to strong growth which Nigeria is no exception.

The DG said there were few signs that the decline in commodity prices would be reversed in the near future.