Trade and Commerce

 Policy Statement 


Create an enabling environment that empowers stakeholders in trade and commerce with the underlying infrastructure to improve productivity and positively position the nation for global competition.


 Objectives 

  1. To develop a transparent, stable and effective legal operating environment that promotes private sector business and investment in IT.

  2. To cultivate a culture of electronic commerce, which makes business transactions easy, quick and cost effective, for both national and international transactions.

  3. To positively raise the local and international visibility of Nigerian businesses.

  4. To encourage foreign and domestic private sectors investment to build information infrastructure and related assets and develop subsequent downmarket activities.

  5. To stimulate the proliferation of private sector-led information technology services and consequently generates meaningful employment opportunities for Nigerians.


 Strategies 

  1. Firmly address the protection of intellectual rights by bringing the copyright laws in line with the needs of a globally competitive economy.

  2. Government, through NITDA, will collaborate with the private sector in the development of information infrastructure.

  3. Permitting the private sector to establish Internet communication "backbone" facilities stimulated on market demand with minimal governmental encumbrance.

  4. Encouraging the development of alliances of communities and non-governmental organisations to enhance efficient and appropriate grass-roots development efforts.

  5. Raising the profile of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in exports through e-commerce by providing low cost accessibility to markets and services.

  6. Encouraging manufacturers and suppliers to utilise bar codes on items sold in the country.

  7. Establish a high profile National Electronic Commerce Council (NECC), to govern all the electronic commerce (e-commerce) affairs in Nigeria, and facilitate international trade through an e-commerce infrastructure. The NECC will be operated and supervised by NITDA with the cooperation of relevant Ministries and organisations.