The federal government has identified the agricultural and mining sector as priority sectors to access non-oil exports into the country.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday at the 5th National Treasury Workshop organised by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation with the theme “Nigeria’s Revenue Challenges and the Way Forward: Exploring Non-Oil Alternatives.”
Edun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Lydia Shehu Jafiya underscored the urgent need to rethink Nigeria’s revenue generation strategies, especially in light of the volatile nature of oil revenues, which has long been the backbone of our economy but recently facing a downturn.
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“The recent global shifts in energy policies, declining oil demand and fluctuating crude prices have jointly made it abundantly clear that we cannot afford to be overly dependent on oil revenues. We must, therefore, embrace a diversified economic approach that taps into the immense potential of non-oil sectors, of which priority is agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, tourism, digital economy and creative industries.
“This workshop seeks to provide actionable answers to this question by fostering robust discussions among key stakeholders in the financial and economic landscape,” he explained.
Also in her remarks, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein said the theme is considered very apt considering the state of the economy owing to a multiplicity of factors ranging from the exchange rate volatility, low revenue performance, rising costs, amongst others.