WT/MIN(15)/ST/7
17 December 2015
(15-6695)  Page: 1/2
Ministerial Conference 
Tenth Session 
Nairobi, 15-18 December 2015  Original: English
 
STATEMENT BY HON. OKECHUKWU ENYINNA ENELAMAH 
MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY, TRADE AND INVESTMENT 
NIGERIA  
Let me, on behalf of the Nigerian delegation to the Tenth Ministerial Conference, join other 
speakers before me to congratulate you Madam Chairperson, on your election as the Chair of the Tenth Ministerial Conference. Please accept the appreciation of the Government of Nigeria for your hard work in the preparatory process for this first WTO Ministerial Conference to be held on African 
soil. 
 I also pay special tribute to H.E. Mr Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General of the WTO and, 
Ambassador Fernando De Mateo, the Chairman of  the General Council. I thank them for their 
effective leadership role in the Geneva process, as well as for evolving the agenda placed before us 
for consideration. 
 
The Nigerian delegation has been overwhelmed by the warm hospitality extended to us since our arrival by the Government and people of Keny a. I wish to express our sincere thanks and 
appreciation to them. Let me also seize this opportunity to give an anticipatory welcome to Liberia 
and Afghanistan to the WTO family, and trust that their accession would be beneficial to the entire 
Membership.   
This Conference is taking place at a critical time for the multilateral trading system and the global 
economy as a whole. The Tenth WTO Ministerial Meeting provides an important opportunity to address the challenges facing the rules-based trading system. Nigeria believes that this conference 
provides a unique opportunity for Members to take stock, listen and proffer pragmatic solutions. 
Our objective is to achieve a successful outcome for the sustainable advancement of a multilateral trading system that is transparent and equitable for all parties.  
Nigeria is committed to an industrialized economy,  well-integrated into the global market through 
regional and global value chains. We are implementing domestic policy reforms as a means of increasing the benefits accruable to us from the Multilateral Trading System. We are striving to 
improve the ease of doing business and facilitating trade within and across our national borders.  
 Nigeria appreciates the progress made in the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), with respect to 
its ratification by an increasing number of Member s. My delegation wishes to assure Members that 
Nigeria is in the process of finalizing our own rati fication. We note the importance of the provision 
of technical assistance and capacity building to enable developing, and least-developed countries in particular, implement the TFA seamlessly upon its entry into force. 
 
The Agricultural sector is extremely important to Nigeria in terms of exports as well as food security, livelihood concerns and poverty alleviation. Agricultural trade is still in need of 
fundamental reform with a view to correcting and reducing significant distortions. We emphasize 
the need for a fair global agricultural trading system. Nigeria supports a meaningful solution to the cotton issue in view of its importance to the economies of many countries, particularly in Africa. 
 
In conclusion, Nigeria considers this Ministerial Conference to be extremely important. We need to build on the success we achieved in Bali. It will be  a difficult task, but not an insurmountable one. 
 WT/MIN(15)/ST/7 
 
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  What is required over the next few days for a successful Ministerial Conference is attaining an 
outcome that is meaningful, fair and balanced. To achieve this here in Nairobi we all need to be flexible and open to innovative and creative solutions that will strengthen the multilateral trading system. 
 
We are, therefore, prepared to engage constructively in the negotiations in a manner that will produce the greatest possible benefit to our nation, Africa and all WTO Members. 
 
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