WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/MIN(11)/ST/34 
16 December 2011  
 
(11-6599) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Eighth Session Geneva, 15 - 17 December 2011 Original:   English 
 
  
NIGERIA 
 
Statement by Mr Dauda Kigbu 
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment 
(on behalf of the Minister) 
  1. I wish, on behalf of the Nigerian delegati on to commend His Excellency, Mr Pascal Lamy, 
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the Chairman of the General Council, 
our own Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah, for the efficient and effective manner in which they 
have managed the affairs of our Organization, including the preparatory arrangements for this 
Ministerial Conference.  I wish to also thank the Ch airpersons of the various subsidiary bodies for the 
comprehensive reports on the activities of the WTO since the last session of the Conference in 2009.  
I should further express our sincere and heartfelt a ppreciation to the Canton of Geneva, as well as the 
Government and people of the Swiss Confederati on for the warm reception and hospitality that has 
been extended to me and my delegation since our  arrival in this beautiful city of Geneva. 
2. Let me, from the outset express our heartfelt appreciation to the entire Membership of the 
WTO for the honour and privilege conferred on Nigeria to preside over the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC8).  We recognize that this opportun ity is a clear demonstration of the confidence and 
trust of the Membership in Nigeria's ability to prov ide credible leadership in  the WTO at this very 
trying moment in the history of the multilateral trading system and the WTO.  Let me assure you all that we remain deeply grateful for this honour;  and would do our utmost to ensure that the diverse 
interests of the entire Membership are duly recognise d and reflected in the outcome of the MC8;  both 
in terms of process and substance. 
3. On that note, Nigeria also shares the view that this Ministerial Conference is taking place at a 
time when the world is experiencing the worst ec onomic crisis, which has brought about significant 
challenges to national economies and governments.  Ho wever, we are happy to note that, despite these 
difficult circumstances, the WTO has continued to pl ay its role, both as a tool against protectionist 
pressures, and as an effective instrument of multilate ral cooperation capable of reinforcing the role of 
trade in promoting economic growth, wealth creati on and employment generation.  It is, in this 
respect, that Nigeria supports the call for MC8 to send a clear and unequivocal message against 
protectionism, particularly with respect to the imposition of those restrictive trade and 
trade-related measures, which would only end up worsening the situation and undermining the 
multilateral trading system.  It is also Nigeria's expectation that this Conference would provide the necessary political guidance and direction towards the successful conclusion of the Doha Round. 
4. These expectations are based on the belief that  it is mostly those policies, which allow 
economies to remain open to trade and investment that are capable of promoting economic recovery 
and sustainable growth.  Indeed, available empiri cal evidence shows that it is generally those 
countries which have significantly liberalized and achieved a greater level of integration into the 
global economy that are usually associated with successful development experience.  WT/MIN(11)/ST/34 
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  This, notwithstanding, Nigeria recognises that th e relationship between trade policy reform and 
economic growth is not automatic.  What is required, most of all is the need to put into place those complementary policies that would significantly a ddress supply-side constraints, especially trade 
support infrastructure and the competitiveness of th e business environment.  Consequently, as we 
strive to enhance the integration and effective par ticipation of developing count ries, particularly LDCs 
in the international trading system , it is necessary to ensure that this group of countries is provided 
with adequate policy space and technical assistance, in  a manner that is specifically tailored to address 
their trade and development needs. 
5. Taking into account this reality, Nigeria is d eeply concerned that the Doha Round, which was 
launched as the "development" Round with a view to, inter alia , addressing the imbalances in the 
existing Agreements, boosting international trade and global economic growth, as well as facilitating 
the successful integration of developing countries in to the global economy, remains inconclusive after 
more than ten years of negotiations.  In spite of the prevailing impasse in the DDA negotiations, 
Nigeria would like to encourage Members, especiall y the major players, to demonstrate the required 
leadership by exercising the requisite flexibilities that would ensure a breakthrough in the current 
stalemate, thus, leading to the successful c onclusion of the Doha Round negotiations as soon as 
possible. 
6. It is on the basis of the foregoing that Nige ria would like to underscore its commitment to 
work with other Members in the current search for new approaches to successfully conclude the 
Doha Round, based on its developm ent mandate.  As we seek for possible solutions to the present 
substantive challenges in the negotiations, we urge  Members to ensure that high priority is duly 
accorded to development, particularly  those issues of special interest to LDCs.  In addition, any future 
solutions should build on the progress so far achieved in the negotiations. 
7. Nigeria is happy to note that the rule-based multilateral trading system embodied in the WTO 
provides stability and predictability international rela tions.  We therefore, encourage Members to use 
the opportunity of this Conference to recommit th emselves to addressing some key issues.  First, 
Nigeria believes that it is of utmost importance th at developing countries are granted the requisite 
policy space to enable them develop the agricu ltural, industrial and services sectors of their 
economies.  To that end, there is  a need to operationalize the ma ndate of the Committee on Trade and 
Development (CTD) to enable it to effectively play it s role as the focal point for development work in 
the WTO.  Second, as the result of the Third Global Review of Aid for Trade indicates, there is a need for all stakeholders to give special attention to areas such as improving the effectiveness of aid, as 
well as strengthening reporting syst ems and engaging the private sector in the initiative, with a view 
to increasing export volumes and employment.  Nigeria, therefore, would like to urge Members to recommit themselves to the Aid-fo r-Trade initiative, as an indispensable tool for supporting a robust 
trade opening and rules-making agenda.  It is also imperative for donors to ensure that the 
trade-capacity building activities of the WTO are adequately financed. 
8. A third key element is the significant role of Regional Trade Agreements in the overall 
development strategies of developing countries.  It  should be noted that deepening integration among 
developing countries through bilateral, regional and global trade agreements, including through 
enhanced South-South trade could provide an additional avenue for increased market access and 
export diversification for developing countries.  At th e same time, it is important  to ensure that RTAs 
do not result in discriminatory treatment and do not unduly undermine the non-discrimination 
principle of the multilateral trading system.  My de legation agrees that there is value in assessing the 
systemic implications of the RTAs for the multila teral trading system within the mandates of the 
CRTA and the CTD.  WT/MIN(11)/ST/34 
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  9. Nigeria is pleased to note that, in spite of th e prevailing challenges, MC8 has been able to 
take some important decisions on TRIPS non-viola tion and situation complaints;  E-Commerce;  
SVEs work programme;  extension of trans ition period for LDCs under Article 66.1 of the 
TRIPS Agreement;  LDC accession;  the LDC services waiver;  and the 4th Appraisal of the 
Trade Policy Review mechanism.  On accessions , Nigeria would like to welcome Montenegro, 
the Russian Federation, Samoa and Vanuatu to th e WTO family and hope that their membership 
would be beneficial to the multilateral trading system. 
10. Allow me to also use this opportunity to briefly highlight some of the key reforms that the 
present Administration is undertaking to create a more conducive and business-friendly environment.  
These reforms include privatization to ensure incr eased private sector participation in the economy 
while reducing the role of government to that of  a facilitator only;  achieving poverty reduction;  
human resource development;  promoting transpar ency and accountability;  fiscal discipline and 
intensification of the fight against corruption.  Con sequently, in order to secure the platform for those 
sustained domestic policy reforms that would increase the country's benefits from participation in the 
international trading system, Nigeria wishes to call for increased collaboration between the WTO and 
other international organizations, with a view to ensuring coherence in economic policy-making. 
11. In conclusion, let me reaffirm Nigeria's co mmitment to the objectives and principles of the 
multilateral trading system.  We fully support the statements made by Kenya on behalf of the 
Africa Group, Mauritius on behalf of the ACP, Bangla desh on behalf of the LDCs and Burkina Faso 
on behalf of the C4.  
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