THE Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) says it is working to strengthen partnership with other African countries in the face of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman and chief executive officer, NIDCOM, said this while delivering a keynote address at BusinessDay virtual ‘Diaspora Today’ event held on Thursday.
“The Commission intends to focus a lot more on Africa South-South cooperation. We have a huge population even in Africa and with the AfCFTA coming on board, it is an area to focus on,” she said.
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She noted that Nigerians were excelling everywhere in the world, adding that “70 percent of black doctors in America are Nigerians. I don’t think any country has the number and impact of the Nigerian diaspora anywhere in the world.”
The proposed South-South cooperation is expected to promote knowledge and expertise exchanges through programmes, projects and initiatives that have helped solve specific problems in the region.
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It will also encourage countries and partners to publish their successful policies, initiatives and activities that have led to the achievement of their development goals.
The AfCFTA is a free trade treaty that is intended to galvanise borderless trade among 54 of the 55 African nations. It was initiated in 2018, but commenced fully on 1st January, 2021.