Connect with us

Business

WTO X-rays Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs on Global Trade

WTO members must stand together to safeguard these gains.Trade measures of this magnitude have the potential to create significant trade diversion effects.

Published

on

105 Views

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the WTO has acknowledged that President Donald Trump’s Tariffs slammed on more than a hundred countries, will have substantial implications for global trade and economic growth prospects of member nations .

In a position statement on the U.S. tariffs, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said:

“The WTO Secretariat is closely monitoring and analysing the measures announced by the United States on April 2, 2025.

Many members have reached out to us and we are actively engaging with them in response to their questions about the potential impact on their economies and the global trading system.

While the situation is rapidly evolving, our initial estimates suggest that these measures, coupled with those introduced since the beginning of the year, could lead to an overall contraction of around 1% in global merchandise trade volumes this year, representing a downward revision of nearly four percentage points from previous projections.

I’m deeply concerned about this decline and the potential for escalation into a tariff war with a cycle of retaliatory measures that lead to further declines in trade.

It Is important to remember that, despite these new measures, the vast majority of global trade still flows under the WTO’s Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) terms.

Our estimates now indicate that this share currently stands at 74%, down from around 80% at the beginning of the year.

WTO members must stand together to safeguard these gains.Trade measures of this magnitude have the potential to create significant trade diversion effects.

I call on Members to manage the resulting pressures responsibly to prevent trade tensions from proliferating.

The WTO was established to serve precisely in moments like this — as a platform for dialogue, to prevent trade conflicts from escalating, and to support an open and predictable trading environment.

I encourage Members to utilize this forum to engage constructively and seek cooperative solutions.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

CBN approves Union Bank, Titan merger

The bank has assured customers that there will be no disruption to existing services, account details will remain unchanged, and customers will continue to access a full suite of products and services seamlessly.

Published

on

By

32 Views

The Central Bank of Nigeria has approved the merger of Union Bank of Nigeria with Titan Trust Bank Limited,.

This is disclosed in a statement from the bank’s Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Olufunmilayo Aluko.

Under the terms of the merger, Union Bank has fully absorbed Titan Trust Bank’s operations and assets.

The new institution will continue to operate under the Union Bank brand, while Titan Trust Bank ceases to exist as a separate entity.

With an expanded footprint of over 293 service centres and 937 ATMs nationwide, supported by strengthened digital channels, Union Bank is poised to deliver enhanced value across retail, SME and corporate segments.

Union Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Yetunde Oni, described the development as “a pivotal moment in our 108-year journey and a launchpad for delivering greater value to our customers.

By blending stability with innovation, we are better positioned to meet the evolving needs of Nigerians and to be their most trusted financial partner.”

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bayo Adeleke, added: “This is a new era of growth, collaboration, and shared prosperity. By bringing together the strengths of both institutions, we are committed to creating lasting value for our customers, shareholders, and communities while advancing Nigeria’s financial inclusion agenda.”

The bank has assured customers that there will be no disruption to existing services, account details will remain unchanged, and customers will continue to access a full suite of products and services seamlessly, with an accelerated push towards enhanced digital solutions.

Continue Reading

Business

We are under attack – NNPCL GCEO, Ojulari

Published

on

61 Views

Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has announced that he and his management team are currently under serious threat.

Ojulari said his offense is the reforms he has introduced in the oil and gas sector in line with the mandate given to him by President Bola Tinubu to turn around the moribund refinery.

He raised this alarm on Thursday, lamenting that some powerful elements are plotting to remove him from the seat.

The NNPCL boss raised the alarm when he received the delegation of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo, at the company’s headquarters, Abuja.

Details shortly…

Continue Reading

Business

Govt, stakeholders to explore industrial policy at W’Africa Manufacturing summit

The collaboration will take centre stage at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade Summit & Exhibition 2025, scheduled for October 2025, in Lagos.

Published

on

By

82 Views

•The Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh

The Federal Government has committed to exploring strategies for implementing the new National Industrial Policy to scale industries and transform West Africa’s economic future, alongside manufacturing stakeholders at an upcoming summit.

The collaboration will take centre stage at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade Summit & Exhibition 2025, scheduled for October 2025, in Lagos.

The Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, at a press conference on Wednesday in Lagos, declared that Nigeria will build its industrial policy on past executive orders targeted at promoting local content, but with a stronger push through the Nigeria First policy.

He said, “The previous administrations have tried to enable industrial growth by coming up with various executive orders.

Those include Executive Orders Three and Five, which were targeted at matters about public procurement and giving priority to Nigerian-made goods.

With the announcement of the Nigeria First policy, what becomes of it will be a function of what this administration does.”

Enoh noted that the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment would follow up on the policy with a nationwide campaign to promote patronage of Nigerian goods and services.

He explained, “The hope is that in the next few months, we’re going to start a national campaign on buying made-in-Nigeria goods and services to follow up the presidential pronouncement of the Nigeria First policy.

We found out that the country could earn about N3tn more in the short term if we can run a successful campaign that can also shift the attitudes of Nigerians.

(The Punch)

Continue Reading

Trending