AfCFTA and Trade Facilitation in ECOWAS Borderless Region: Challenges and Prospects (Published)
This paper seeks to examine the establishment and ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) as an endeavour on the part of the African Union to promote intra-African trade. The African socioeconomic development and industrial competitiveness is anticipated to increase as a result of the AfCFTA. The agreement is expected to link 1.3 billion people in 55 nations, with a $3.4 trillion global GDP. By 2035, it is projected to be able to save 30 million people from abject poverty. The AfCFTA will result in a significant liberalization of trade in products and services within Africa, making it simpler for business people to conduct international business and lowering trade costs. However, there are concerns that putting the agreement into practice successfully in a continent with limited capacity, uncompetitive industries, and reliable infrastructure will be difficult. The research relies on the secondary sources of data collection, which include the use of such materials as textbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines and internet sources. The paper analyses the political- economic dynamics and argues that the success of AfCFTA will be greatly influenced by a number of variables, including member states level of commitment, the availability of cutting-edge technology, technical capacity, and essential infrastructure, the transparency and accountability of processes, and how infractions and complaints are resolved.
Keywords: AfCFTA, Challenges and Prospects, Ecowas, Trade Liberalization, trade facilitation
The Challenges and Prospects of the New Media in Public Service Broadcasting in Nigeria (Published)
The advent of broadcasting in Nigeria has brought a new lease of life to the communication sphere in Nigeria as it ushered in a new medium of expression and communication for the people of Nigeria. With the introduction of new media technologies came more opportunities to the broadcasting sector in the area of media convergence. The challenges brought by these new media are so immense that no part of the world could afford to be left out in the turn of events. This paper therefore highlights the challenges and prospects of the new media faced by the public service broadcasting in Nigeria. It therefore becomes expedient for the Nigerian public service broadcast sector to avail itself of the opportunities which the new media herald. The paper recommended among others that government as a matter of policy must ensure that there is total removal of all barriers militating against the acquisition of new media facilities for broadcasting in public service broadcasting.
Keywords: Challenges and Prospects, New Media, Public Service