The Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigerian (MAN) export group, Mr Romeo Barberopoulos, has expressed concern that trading among African countries was not up to 10 per cent of their trade with the developed countries.

Barberopoulos told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja that rather than trade among themselves, African countries were trading with the developed countries.

He said that while intra-community trade among member states within given Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa hardly reaches 10 per cent of their total trade, intra-EU trade stood at 85 per cent of EU total exports in 2004.

“This paucity of economic relations among African nations has continued for decades with no serious efforts from any quarters to address it,’’ he said, adding that the situation called for “constructive, positive and decisive engagement’’.

Barberopoulos, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Export Trade Houses Ltd (NEXPORTRADE), said the company was established to address regional economic challenges confronting trade in Africa.

“NEXPORTRADE Houses Ltd is a Pan African Company established to serve as a secured platform for increased and better organised trade among business groups in ECOWAS and African nations to reduce informal trade.’’

He pledged to ensure that trade within the region was facilitated to pave the way for rapid economic integration of African businesses.

“We will use the NEXPORTRADE network of partnerships in Africa as a clearing house for all formal quality guaranteed export by all Africa countries to the rest of the world in order to build confidence in Made-in-Africa products.’’

Barberopoulos said that the company would double efforts to promote economic synergies among businesses for improved intra-Africa trade and investment that would lead to sustainable development of Africa.

He said the company was designed to drive the process of implementing an economic network that would facilitate, promote and sustain business friendly environment among and between operators in Africa.

The chairman said the process was expected to reinforce business and investment relations by leveraging on various bilateral agreements, MoUs and protocols entered into among sister nations.

He also said that the initiative would lead to the actualisation of South-South cooperation through integration of businesses and people, using protocols designed by policy makers.

“The initiative will indirectly address loss of government revenue arising from the monumental volume of informal trade in sub-Sahara Africa.

“It will equally avail governments, policy makers and development partners of the opportunity to obtain credible trade statistics needed to capture economic trend for decision making process and for national development.