Nigeria's trade policy

Export competitiveness is generally a challenge for Nigeria – in particular as concerns finding niches for exports in which the country can gain in value-added and diversify exports away from the current focus on raw materials. This chapter investigates to what extent Nigeria’s policy and institutional framework for trade (including the draft National Trade Policy of 2013, still awaiting finalisation as of spring 2015) can help address these challenges. This indicates that due to the wide breadth of “targeted” sectors, it is difficult to dedicate sufficient resources and to address supply-side constraints specific to each sector. Moreover various policy questions relevant to trade are not under the ambit of the FMITI, but are rather dealt with by the agriculture or finance ministries, which complicates effective reform implementation. The chapter provides recommendations on how to improve the focus of the draft Policy, better address remaining non-tariff barriers to trade, and enhance institutional co-ordination among bodies responsible for trade and investment policy formulation.