Trade Thematic Group

Objective:

• Strengthen the position of Nigeria in the ongoing trade negotiations, with a view of optimizing the country’s defensive and offensive negotiation strategies and positions.

• Examine the possibility of expanding trade in Africa by identifying the structure and composition of goods and services trade between Nigeria and other 53 African states, including informal cross-border trade.

• Understand the degree to which the existing trade protocols can be used to enhance Nigeria’s access to the international market strategically.

• Put in place measures that will scrutinize and identify other possible options for trade arrangements between Nigeria and other parts of the world.

Investment & Competitiveness Thematic Group

Objective:

• A proper alignment of well-articulated value-added investment attraction value-proposition that addresses the barriers to investment in Nigeria.

• Provide insightful business-friendly analytical scenarios on the value embedded in proposed incentive or fiscal reform. This is desirably achieved by identifying a list of several sectoral targets and articulating a list of finer actionable procedures for archiving set targets

• Consider shifting geopolitics, innovative business models and changing societal expectations in realizing the primary objectives of any functional economy – stable prices (low inflation), steady and sustained economic growth, low unemployment or full employment, and a balanced balance of payment.

• Develop propositions for de-risking these critical sectors and recommending actionable steps for fixing sectoral investment conundrums to attract the investments necessary to drive growth across these sectors. These need to be addressed for meaningful investments to be attracted to the sectors.

Fiscal Policy and Planning Thematic Group

Objective:

• Assessment of Nigeria’s tax policy for improved efficiency and effectiveness in tax administration, alongside the review of tax incentives, tax waivers, exemptions, etc.

• Focus on implementation of changes brought about by the Revised National Tax Policy

• Establishment of Office of Tax Simplification (OTS).

• Find innovative ways of equitably raising revenues from the non-oil sectors of the economy while keeping in perspective the Ibrahim Index for African Governance (IIAG).

• Review of Nigeria’s expenditure composition and efficiency, with more attention on the various subsidies such as the tax incentives and waivers offered by the Federal Government.

• Focus to be placed on the spending side and how to make it more efficient, selection of infrastructure projects that would boost economic growth.

• Identify areas for improvement in Nigeria’s fiscal structure by reviewing the economics of tax structure and the expenditure responsibilities across the three tiers of the government.