Meshioye, who is also the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, made the call during the lighting of the African trade torch for implementation of AfCFTA held on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to him, AfCFTA has created a market of over 1.3 billion people, which is the largest single market in the world with a GDP of over $2.6tn. He added that it has been estimated that AfCFTA would boost Africa’s export by more than $600bn with a wage gain of more than 10 per cent, which presents a unique opportunity for increased production capacities and trade volume and serve as a catalyst for a significant reduction in poverty.
Meshioye said, “PAMA, sees the single liberalised market for free trade in goods and services, which AfCFTA offers as a lifetime opportunity for African countries to trade more with each other, refocus national economic, investment and industrial policies to be in sync with continental aspirations to enhance private sector development, grow national economies, increase the number of African multinational companies and fast-track the process of fully