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Improved data holds the key for Nigeria’s trade hub ambitions - SOUTHERN AFRICA FREIGHT
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his country’s plans to turn itself into a hub of export and import activities in West Africa.
He made the announcement during the 2023 Comptroller-General of Customs Annual Conference recently.
In his address, Tinubu stressed the need for the integration of complex data to interpret the patterns of transactions and interactions in international trade.
He hinted at plans by his administration to address what he termed historical inadequacies of policymaking that were thwarted by a lack of comprehensive data in Nigeria.
He lamented the lack of comprehensive data, saying it had been "a technological affliction" that has hindered the growth trajectory of Nigeria and the continent, impeding the ability to make informed governance decisions.
The President, who was represented at the conference by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that the grand vision of his administration is to deploy data to make sound government decisions.
Shettema said: "Even before we were given this mandate, we knew that every facet of our lives is interwoven with data.
“We must not only commit to deploying data to make decisions within the government but also address the historical inadequacies of Nigerian policymaking, often impeded by a lack of comprehensive data.
“Our current governance landscape demands a transformative intervention, and the solution is what has brought us together today.
"Our ambition extends beyond accumulation; it extends to transformation. We aspire to position Nigeria as the preferred destination for all stakeholders involved in export and import activities overseen by the Customs."
Observing that the benefits of comprehensive data go beyond determining revenue generation, he said: "Data provides the sharpest lens for us to connect the dots, even in establishing the security of our borders.
“We can easily determine the traffic of people and goods around a specific border and share indisputable information with other nations with just a punch on our computers.
Shettema assured delegates that Nigeria remains resolute in its belief that it is unequivocally on track not only to accumulate terabytes of factual surveys but also to establish a robust public service system that upholds data integrity at its core.
