The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) has urged the federal government to deliver free, fair and transparent general elections in 2023, in order to sustain and strengthen democratic governance in the country.
This call was made last week by Hugo Swire, deputy chairman of the CWEIC, in an interview with journalists in Lagos where he described Nigeria as one of the great nations in the Commonwealth.
He said: “I’m aware you’ve got elections, and I would urge people to take part in those elections. You know, democracy is only sustainable if people participate, particularly young people. I think we really do need to encourage people to vote in these elections and that the elections should be free and transparent.”
Swire, who is a member of the British Privy Council, was in Nigeria to raise awareness and mobilise delegates for the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit 2022 (CTIS), which is scheduled to hold between December 5 and December 6, 2022, at Mansion House in London, United Kingdom, in partnership with the City of London.
He said: “There will also be the 2022 Commonwealth High Commissioners’ Banquet, a Black Tie/National Dress event at London’s iconic Guildhall. We will also have our Global Advisory Council meeting, which is exclusive for our members, called Strategic Partners. There will also be the Commonwealth Legal Network (CLN) Networking Reception, held in partnership with one of our Strategic Partners; Irving Mitchell.
“We will also have the Gibraltar Dialogue, held at Gibratar House in partnership with one of our Strategic Partners; Government of Gibraltar. Most of our Strategic Partners and top business leaders from Nigeria have been invited and they have confirmed their attendance and we look forward to an exciting engagement that will add great value to them and enable their businesses.”
He described the Commonwealth as a strategic market of 2.6 billion people with projected $20 trillion GDP in 2027. “Anyone who ignores the Commonwealth as a marketplace is ignoring 2.6 billion people, and a billion of this population is made up of middle class consumers that have money to spend. That is absolutely huge. And, again, a very, very good reason why people need to look at the Commonwealth to do more trading.”
Also a former British parliamentarian and cabinet minister, Swire urged the government to put measures in place that would liberate the country’s private sector to do more business and generate revenues for the government through payment of taxes.
“I am a firm believer in the power of the private sector. I think very often that the government does not have the answers, nor the skill set to answer all the questions. The government needs revenue and that revenue can only really be generated by the private sector,” he said.
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He added that artificial intelligence would pose employment challenges for the younger generations in the next 20-30 years by doing things that could not be comprehended at the moment.
“But that means that it’s going to replace a lot of jobs that will normally be done by humans,” he said.
He also said that Nigeria’s population would provide a huge marketplace for businesses involved in consumer goods, education and hospitality.
According to him, “there are opportunities for Commonwealth countries to trade with existing Nigerian companies, do joint ventures and to invest in critical infrastructure. And that’s what we are about creating the marketplace within the Commonwealth.”
Swire was in Nigeria to co-chair the Nigerian International Advisory Council meeting of CWEIC with the Nigerian Chairman, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN), also a partner, Africa Law Practice Nigeria & Co.
He used the meeting to welcome new members and also engage with all members to understand their priorities as well as their needs and also brief them on all upcoming activities that have been planned for next year.
He added that the CWEIC has a vibrant hub that “is being run by our incredible country director, Obinna Anyanwu.
“We have built a great and vibrant network here. We have about 23 active members in Nigeria that we call strategic partners; including Dangote Group, Famfa Oil Limited, Zenith Bank Plc, Seplat Energy Plc, Matrix Energy Limited, among others.”
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