Acting Director, International Cooperation and Public Affairs, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Dr Godwin Ichimi, has noted that trade has evolved beyond economic exchange to become a powerful geopolitical tool that nations can use to advance their strategic interests.

Speaking at the Advanced Senior Executive Course on Strategic Foresight and Trade Intelligence for Nigeria Customs Leadership, organised by the Bashir Adeniyi Centre for International Trade and Investment (BACITI) of the NIIA, yesterday, Dr Ichimi urged Nigerian customs officers to adopt forward-looking approaches to safeguard national security and economic development.

He highlighted the growing links between national security, international trade and geopolitical competition, noting that the global economic order established after the Second World War was intended to prevent conflicts arising from economic rivalries.

According to him, recent developments have exposed vulnerabilities in the global trading system, making countries rethink long-held economic positions and adopt more strategic approaches to trade and economic policy.

He said globalisation had produced both winners and losers, leaving some regions and economies feeling disadvantaged, while also raising questions about the effectiveness of neo-liberal economic policies that have shaped international trade relations for decades.

Ichimi described geopolitical trade as one of the most pressing issues confronting nations today, stressing that increasing interdependencies among countries had created vulnerabilities that can be exploited during periods of tension and conflict.

IN another development, the Chairperson of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Damilola Sunday Olawuyi, has called on governments, businesses and development actors across Africa to accelerate concrete actions towards building accountable and sustainable supply chains.

Olawuyi made the call in Nairobi, Kenya, in a keynote address at the 2nd East and Horn of Africa Business and Human Rights Dialogue, convened by DanChurchAid in partnership with the United Nations and other regional stakeholders.

Speaking on the theme, “Beyond Compliance: Strengthening Accountable and Rights-Centred Supply Chains,” the Senior Advocate of Nigeria urged African stakeholders to move beyond policy commitments and focus on measurable implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

He stressed that businesses must embed human rights due diligence across their operations, including investment decisions, procurement systems and supply chain relationships.