The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said productive capacity, AfCFTA and investment are key to accelerating sustainable graduation of African Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

The ECA Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Gatete spoke at the Africa Regional Ministerial Mid-Term Review of the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA) 2022–2031 in Addis Ababa.

He said 32 of the world’s 44 LDCs were in Africa, making the continent’s progress critical to the success of the DPoA.

Gatete acknowledged progress in women’s parliamentary representation, child survival, water and sanitation, electricity access and internet usage since 2021.

He, however, said progress remained uneven, with social protection coverage declining from 9.4 per cent in 2021 to 8.6 per cent.

He said that food insecurity had worsened, while African LDCs continued to account for less than one per cent of global merchandise trade.

According to him, value added manufacturing accounts for only about nine per cent of GDP, while infrastructure and digital gaps constrain productivity.

Gatete said limited productive capacity was restricting industrialisation, job creation and economic resilience across African LDCs.

He stressed the need to invest in reliable energy, transport infrastructure, skills, digital connectivity and technology to strengthen productive capacity.

The ECA chief also called for accelerated industrialisation and diversification to reduce dependence on commodities and low-value economic activities.

He said productive capacity must be matched with access to larger markets, stressing that African LDCs could not transform within domestic markets alone.

Gatete identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an opportunity to create regional value chains and expand markets for African businesses.

He said regional integration would help African LDCs diversify, become more competitive and strengthen their participation in the global economy.

On financing, Gatete said domestic resource mobilisation remained important but could not on its own meet the investment needs of African LDCs.

He called for greater access to affordable, predictable development finance and increased private investment in productive sectors.

Gatete urged international financial institutions and development partners to respond to the specific circumstances and financing challenges facing LDCs.

He said graduation should not merely involve crossing a statistical threshold but should deliver stronger economies, greater resilience and sustainable development gains.

According to him, the ministerial review should identify concrete measures for accelerating DPoA implementation during its remaining years.

He said the outcome would contribute to Africa’s position at the global mid-term review of the DPoA scheduled for Doha next March.

He urged participants to present evidence of progress, identify challenges and develop practical solutions aligned with the ambitions of Agenda 2063.

“Building productive capacity, expanding markets through AfCFTA and mobilising investment remain critical to accelerating sustainable graduation.

“The measures will help deliver lasting development gains for Africa’s Least Developed Countries,” he said.(NAN)

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said its proposed oil and gas investment summit in China will showcase Nigeria’s investment opportunities and promote partnerships to boost revenue and economic growth.

The Chairman of RMAFC, Dr Mohammed Shehu, disclosed this at a Stakeholders’ Breakfast Meeting with the Oil and Gas sector, ahead of the proposed summit to China, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Shehu said the summit would showcase investment opportunities across Nigeria’s upstream, midstream and downstream petroleum sectors, adding that it would attract investments into the petroleum sector.

According to him, the summit will provide investors with information on ongoing reforms, technological innovations, financing options and policies aimed at improving the ease of doing business.

“The initiative is part of the commission’s constitutional responsibility to advise governments on fiscal efficiency and ways to increase revenue.

“The commission will work with relevant government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the success of the proposed summit,” he said.

Shehu said that Nigeria’s abundant hydrocarbon resources, strategic location and vibrant population presented significant opportunities for investment in the oil and gas industry.

He, however, emphasised the need for deliberate collaboration among government institutions, investors, industry operators, financial institutions, host communities and development partners.

The RMAFC chairman said the commission had visited China in preparation for the summit and held meetings with Nigerian diplomatic officials, trade representatives and event consultants.

He said the commission was encouraged by ongoing Federal Government reforms aimed at strengthening investor confidence and creating a predictable regulatory environment.

“The summit will facilitate business-to-business engagements, policy dialogues, investment matchmaking, technical exhibitions and networking opportunities,” he said.

Shehu said the engagements would help foster long-term partnerships, increase local content participation and create employment opportunities.

He urged stakeholders to contribute ideas and recommendations that would help the commission organise a summit capable of attracting quality investments to Nigeria.

He expressed confidence that the collaboration among stakeholders would help project Nigeria’s investment potential and contribute to the country’s economic transformation.

The Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Enorense Amadasu, said Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector offered significant investment opportunities following reforms and interventions by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Amadasu said the petroleum Industry Act and recent presidential executive orders had created opportunities for investors, adding that the commission was working to increase reserves, production and investment in the sector.

Mallam Rabiu Umar, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), said the Petroleum Industry Act was focused on adding value to Nigeria’s midstream and downstream oil and gas sectors.

Umar commended the organisers for promoting investment and assured investors of the agency’s regulatory support to facilitate investments in the midstream and downstream sectors.

He was represented by Dr Priscilla Ekpe, Head, Investment Promotion Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning Directorate.

Rear Admiral Patrick Effah, Chief of Operations, Nigerian Navy, said security was critical to revenue generation, adding that a safe maritime environment is necessary for trade and commerce.

Effah said the Navy would continue providing security across Nigeria’s maritime corridors to boost investors’ confidence and attract more investment into the country.

The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, said the state was committed to developing its natural gas assets to drive industrialisation and economic growth across the South-East.

Mbah was represented by Mr Enyima Ogbonna, Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources

He said the state had invested heavily in security and infrastructure, making it prepared to attract investors through the upcoming summit in Beijing, China. (NAN)

Stakeholders at the 2026 Lagos Maritime Week roundtable have called for urgent Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) disbursement and stronger collaboration to accelerate Nigeria’s maritime development.

They made the call on Tuesday while examining gaps between maritime policies and their implementation across West and Central Africa.

Ms Iroghama Ogbeifun, Managing Director, Starz Investment Company Ltd.

Ogbeifun, also a Board Member of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said policy without implementation remained ineffective.

“Policy without practice remains a document,” she said, stressing the need for policies capable of transforming Nigeria’s maritime industry.

She said accessing the CVFF would enable Nigerian operators to acquire vessels, reduce dependence on foreign ships and expand domestic shipping.

Ogbeifun said delays in accessing the fund continued to constrain growth, competitiveness and job creation within the maritime sector.

She disclosed that 20 of 92 CVFF applications had reached the bank for processing, urging speedy approval to unlock funding.

According to her, faster disbursement would strengthen indigenous ship ownership and increase Nigerian participation in domestic shipping.

Ogbeifun also identified human capacity as a major challenge, questioning whether adequate trainers, equipment and curricula existed to support maritime innovation.

She urged collaborative training between Nigerian operators and foreign partners to develop seafarers, engineers and shipyard technicians.

Ogbeifun said companies should invest in workers rather than poaching trained personnel from competitors, while the government should strengthen cadetship programmes.

Capt. Niyi Labinjo, moderator of the session, urged stakeholders to move discussions beyond rhetoric and focus on actionable maritime solutions.

Labinjo said policies would continue to “gather dust” without sustained collaboration among regulators, operators and regional maritime organisations.

He called for regular platforms beyond annual maritime events to sustain dialogue and ensure continuous feedback between regulators and operators.

Mrs Tokunbo Jakande, NIMASA’s Head of Shipping Operations, identified fragmented governance and weak data-sharing systems among major operational challenges.

She said innovation should follow policy direction, stressing that Nigeria’s maritime future depended on quality services supported by automation.

Jakande explained that NIMASA’s command, control, communication and computer systems monitor vessel movements and provide real-time compliance information.

She said regulators must convert maritime domain-awareness data into actionable intelligence without creating additional bureaucratic delays.

Ms Olimotou Malang, Director-General, Gambia Maritime Authority, said capacity building must precede digitalisation for technology investments to produce sustainable results.

“Technology without skilled people cannot deliver results,” Malang said, stressing the need for modern maritime training across Africa.

She advocated a single maritime window for West and Central Africa under the Maritime Organisation for West and Central Africa (MOWCA).

Malang said language barriers and individual national efforts were hindering regional integration, although MOWCA was working toward a regional solution.

Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Dr Kingsley Igwe, warned against excessive dependence on digital systems.

Igwe, represented by CRFFN Director, Peter Akunubi, said manual alternatives remained necessary during transition and periods of system downtime.

He said CRFFN was training freight forwarders and issuing certificates in manual inventory procedures to ensure operational continuity.

Igwe called for a single database among agencies to eliminate repeated information requests, improve data security and strengthen accountability.

The stakeholders resolved that regional cooperation, capacity development and sustained public-private dialogue were critical to moving maritime policies from paper to practice. (NAN)