Development of a Service Industry Coalition in Nigeria Being a Paper Presented By Lawal S. Dalhat, NEPC At National Stakeholders Workshop on Advancing Services Sector Development and Reforms in Nigeria Organised by NANTS With the support of ILEAP 10th -12th November, 2009

Services Environment in Nigeria There are 71 service associations in Nigeria. Services regulatory bodies exist and are active. Most Nigerian service firms are small in size with less than 10 employees Existence of a strong professional class Improvement in telecommunication services 

Services Associations  Nigerian Bar Association

Nigerian Medical Association Institute of Chartered Bankers  Nigerian Network of Women Exporters of Services National Council for Women Societies  Women Banker Association of Nigeria National Union of Road Traffic Workers Internet Users Group Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria National Union of Journalists Nigerian Dental Council Bankers Committee.  National Association of Small Scale Industrialist Council for the Regulation of Engineering Association of National Accountants of Nigeria Nigerian Institute of Architect

REGULATORY AUTHORITIES Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs Nigerian Immigration Services. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry Federal Ministry of finance Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation NDIC National University Commission Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency NITDA Computer Registration Council CPN Nigerian Stock Exchange Nigerian Export Promotion Council NEPC Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority NEPZA Nigerian Customs Services NCS

The need for CSI Services constitute the most dynamic area of international trade, Service sector diverse and fragmented No single ‘services sector’ to speak of, but rather a collection of 12 sectors covering about 160 sub-sectors that impact on a diverse range of stakeholders. Challenging to coordinate such views and employ them to promote and develop the various sectors for governments and the private sector.

Continues on the next slide

Cont’d A well developed services sector enhances competition, leading to stimulation of economic activities and ultimately reducing poverty. Services reforms and negotiations remain understandably contentious due to their potential to expose vulnerable stakeholders to a variety of risks. The difficulty in harnessing services reforms and negotiations to promote development results from the diverse nature of the sector.

CSI Template •The template for a coalition of service industries should be based on existing coalitions such as: •US Coalition of Service Industries, the European Services Forum and the Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries. These agencies, like other existing coalitions, perform strictly lobbying roles.

•Need to adopt a wider mandate in order to satisfy the needs of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the CSI membership, and to be effective in the lobbying and advocacy activities •Primary objective of setting up CSI should be to develop and diversify the sector and to prepare service providers to manage the challenges and opportunities which will be presented in an era of expanding global markets’.

Coalition of services Australian Services Roundtable Barbados Coalition of Services Industries Canadian Services Coalition Coalition of Service Industries of Malaysia European Services Forum Uganda Services Exporters Association Hong Kong Coalition of Services Industry Irish Coalition of Service Industries Japan Services Network (Keidanren) Services Exporting Committee of the Santiago Chamber Singapore Coalition of Service Industries South Asia Service Industries Forum Swedish Coalition of Service Industries Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Service Industries Uganda Services Exporters Association Union Argentina de Entidaes de Servicios U.S. Coalition of Service Industries

Aims & Objectives To promote the further development and competitiveness of Nigerias’ service sector; To ensure that the highest industry standards are met by all Nigerian service providers; To educate Nigerian service providers on relevant aspects of the WTO, EPA and other trade agreements and on any government policies or issues which can affect trade in services; Continues on the next slide

Cont’d To represent the interests of Nigerian service providers by lobbying government for legislative and policy changes which will promote fair multinational rules for trade in services; To provide Nigerian service providers with knowledge of export opportunities and to promote export activities. To encourage and assist service providers to export their services

Benefits CSI to Members Forum to Educate service providers Platform to encourage members to obtain International Standards Certification Institutional strengthening of local associations Assist in the Formation and development of new associations Forum for information gather and dissemination on Services trade Continues on the next slide

Cont’d Identification of challenges and barriers to exporting services Networking Identifying and promoting initiatives that support the export promotion of services Lobbying government of behalf of service sector A focal point for the government in collecting/disseminating information to service providers

Efforts by the NEPC Bridges Across Borders (BAB) Services Exporter Network (SEN) Nigerian Network of Women Exporters of Services  Outsourcing Development Initiative of Nigeria (ODIN) Outsourcing Association Practitioners of Nigeria (OAPN) National Service Sector Export Strategy

BRIDGES ACROSS BORDERS 2008

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Services exporter network

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Q&A

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www.nepcng.com

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www.nepcng.com [email protected]

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