(President of the African Caribbean Chambers of Trade, Commerce and Industry, Onoja Atta Onoja)
Commodity trading between Guyana and Nigeria officially commenced this week, according to the African Caribbean Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry. The first shipment of a 20ft container carrying shea butter was received in Guyana on Wednesday by the Chamber which was established to improve trade between Africa and the Caribbean Region.
The Chamber is headquartered in Georgetown and worked in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in Trinidad and Tobago with non-resident accreditation for Guyana.
According to a statement from the President of the Chamber, Onoja Atta Onoja, the first cargo from Guyana is expected to arrive in Nigeria by the end of the year. That inaugural shipment from Guyana will consist largely of rum and rum products.
“This is being done while the Chamber continues intense work to reduce shipping time and make the route more commercially viable,” he said.
The Chamber further disclosed that direct flights between Africa and the Caribbean are expected to commence before the end of the year. Routes are currently being finalised with airlines and regional governments, it noted.
The framework for exchanges between Guyana and Nigeria is already established through the Directorate of technical aid corps – a framework for the exchange of resources, technology, and knowledge between Nigeria and countries of the Africans, Caribbean and Pacific countries.