Nigeria’s newly appointed World Trade Organisation (WTO) Chairperson, Prof. Ngozi Egbuna, has described President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff increases as an opportunity for African economies to strategically position themselves in global trade.

Speaking yesterday, Egbuna, who is also the Director of the International Centre for Regional Integration and Trade Research, said African countries should capitalise on their abundant natural resources as the United States seeks alternative suppliers amid its trade war with China and other countries.

“While we are complaining that it’s unfair to some countries, some other people are seeing it as an advantage. Nigeria should take it as an advantage because we have a lot to offer,” Egbuna said, reflecting on discussions at the recent WTO Chairs Conference in Geneva.

The remarks come as global markets reel from Trump’s announcement of higher trade tariffs against major economies, including India and Switzerland, while South African authorities prepare parliamentary measures to cushion the impact of a 30 per cent tariff hike.

Egbuna advocated for a dual approach to navigating the current trade environment, leveraging Africa’s 1.3-billion-person market through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) while strategically exporting raw materials to markets affected by the US-China trade war.

“Africa should look inwards first of all, but beyond looking inwards, try to export as much as possible, what they have and what is available,” she said.

The professor highlighted recent regional integration efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Cotonou, Togo, for free trade and passage of goods and services.
Drawing on her experience with the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), Egbuna acknowledged persistent challenges hindering intra-African trade, including visa restrictions, transportation bottlenecks, and inadequate infrastructure.

However, she pointed to progress in financial integration through the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) platform, which enables countries to trade in their local currencies.

“Practically every country is on the PAPS platform. They launched a card recently, and things are going smoothly,” she said, noting her personal successful use of the payment card.

As WTO Chair for Nigeria, Egbuna outlined ambitious plans for the next four years, including the launch of Nigeria’s first master’s programme in International Trade Law and Practice at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

Egbuna also announced plans for a celebration and sensitisation conference on August 13 to mark Nigeria’s 30-year WTO membership, followed by capacity-building workshops for National Assembly members and state governments.

“We need to sensitise Nigerians about the WTO and the fact that the WTO is not just about negotiation. There is more to it,” she emphasised, highlighting the organisation’s resources in areas such as gender in trade, digital commerce, and business development.

The professor’s four-year mandate focuses on bridging the gap between academic research and industry application while fostering international collaboration through the WTO World Chair Programme network.