AGOA resource centre opens in Nigeria
A resource centre of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has opened in Nigeria's economic capital city of Lagos, with a charge by a top American official to the Nigerian business community to take greater advantage of the Act to get access to the vast American markets with their products.
"It is a wonderful partnership with the Nigerian government. This centre will provide resource materials for the business community who may want to access AGOA,'' said the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Robin Sanders.
''Nigeria is the centre of African region. We are impressed by the dynamism, creativity, energy and commitment of the great people of this equally great country,'' Sanders said at the commissioning ceremony.
The centre is equipped with resource materials on AGOA, computers with internet connections, books, CD's and other relevant materials that can assist people to have what it takes to export to America.
The centre, a partnership between the U.S. government and the Bank of Industry (BOI), is located within the premises of the Bank in central business district of Lagos.
''I look forward to you to make use of the facilities. On behalf of the people a nd government of United States, we are committed to this partnership and making the centre a success,'' the US Ambassador said.
Commenting on the centre, BOI Managing Director Evelyn Oputu said: ''The AGOA centre will help Nigerian businesses better utilize AGOA resources and access to the US market.
''This centre is the product of the partnership developed last year with the Ambassador, who has shown great commitment to the actualization of the project. This resource centre is the first step to greater things to come .''
AGOA, which offers duty free entry for 6,400 products into the United States, has boosted two-way trade between the US and sub-Saharan Africa while opening US markets to duty-free imports from Africa.
Latest AGOA Trade Data currently available on AGOA.info
Click here to view a sector profile of Nigeria's bilateral trade with the United States, disaggregated by total exports and imports, AGOA exports and GSP exports.
Other regularly updated trade statistics on AGOA.info include: (click each link to view)