Lagos: The Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to Nigeria, Mr. Mohsen Antit, has pledged his country’s commitment to strengthening economic ties with Nigeria to boost trade and enhance revenue generation. Antit made the commitment during the Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association All Markets Conference 2025, held in Lagos, with the theme ‘Empowering Trade Unions for Revenue Generation and Modernisation’.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Antit emphasized Tunisia’s readiness to partner with the Nigerian government across key sectors such as agriculture, banking and finance, mining, oil and gas, aviation, and security to advance mutual prosperity. He stated, “Tunisia will be eager to open discussions to collaborate in these areas. I reiterate Tunisia’s commitment to deepening ties with Nigeria and with the Ndigboamaka organisation through trade, culture, education, and people-to-people connections.”
Antit praised Nigeria’s entrepreneurial spirit and rich cultural heritage, noting that the Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association, representing over 50 major markets, embodies the dynamism of Nigerian commerce. He commended the association for empowering traders and driving business growth, adding that collaboration with Tunisia would create opportunities for capacity building and trade diversification.
The envoy also expressed interest in expanding investment partnerships in manufacturing, energy, medical services, and tourism, highlighting Tunisia’s ranking among the world’s top 20 tourism destinations, ahead of Morocco and Egypt, and just behind Spain and Greece.
In his remarks, the President of Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association, Chief Chinedu Ukatu, described the conference as a symbol of the collective strength and resilience of traders across Nigeria. Ukatu acknowledged the rapid changes in the global economy and emphasized the need for modernisation and digital transformation to promote ease of doing business. He urged association members to remain united and determined in pursuing their goals, highlighting that solidarity among traders was key to sustaining growth and protecting their collective interests.
Ukatu further called on the government to engage traders in policy formulation to create a more conducive business environment and ensure equitable distribution of economic benefits. Additionally, the former Deputy Governor of Anambra State and Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mr. Emeka Sibeudu, encouraged the association to make South-East markets more competitive to enhance Nigeria’s overall economic growth. He commended Lagos-based traders and exporters for their significant contributions to both Lagos State’s economy and Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and urged them to expand investments to the South-East for inclusive development.
The Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prince Okey Nwadinobi, also commended the Ndigboamaka association for uniting traders under one platform. He advised members to be law-abiding and to respect community norms to avoid conflict and property damage.
Chief Executive Officer of Chisco Group, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, called on the government to view traders as partners in national development, describing them as the real drivers of the Nigerian economy. Anyaegbu urged the government to adopt dialogue in addressing issues affecting traders instead of enforcing punitive taxation policies. He also advised traders to cooperate with government initiatives aimed at national progress.
