Several women groups came together in Abuja on the 14th of December to discuss the Buenos Aires declaration, in a Town hall meeting organised by Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, it’s Technical partner: Women Arise Development and humanitarian initiative (WADHI) and Ministry of Women Affairs. The event was supported by the Export Expansion Facility Program of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.

Comfort Yakubu

The women say despite their contributions to trade they are not carried along when trade agreements are made.

Participants argued that free trade cannot be successful, without building capacity, and strengthening inclusiveness and responsiveness to gender and other needs of women and vulnerable groups.

The Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum who was represented at the event by the Director of Commodities , Kaura Irimiya, said the Ministry had set up several committees, with strong private sector participation to ensure that Nigeria does not lose out in the free trade .

The Minister assured that with what the government has been doing, women entrepreneurs would be included in all policies that promote trade and economic development.

The Convener of Women Arise Development and Humanitarian Initiative (WADHI) Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, said the AfCFTA town hall meeting was important, as women groups have been working to ensure that all identified trade gaps were effectively addressed.

She explained that women need to be given equal opportunity to maximize their full potential in trade and other economic activities, arguing that women had the capacity to provide the required solutions for nation building.

She added that while women do more cross border trading, they have less access to credit and land, and therefore are not able to achieve their desired ends.

Also Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ajibike Saratu ,says “if women can be carried along in the implementation of the AfCfta, it will help us because women are the ones that have the cross border challenges, women are the ones Involved in informal trade and most times women have to pay the men at the border in other to cross with their goods and are also not captured in the data of bureau of statistics, she adds