Executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Engr. Simbi Wabote will on Thursday, November 18 deliver the ninth-anniversary lecture of Realnews Magazine, organisers have announced.
Topic of the lecture is “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective,” Maureen Chigbo, publisher of Realnews Magazine Online said in a statement on Sunday.
Like in previous occasions, the lecture will also feature a panel discussion by economic experts with guaranteed audience participation.
According to Ms. Chigbo “Our choice of the 2021 topic is borne out of the realisation that at present, the Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on oil.” She added: As we think of weaning the country of this dependency and lay emphasis on gas (especially with the declaration of the decade for gas in Nigeria by the federal government), we believe speakers at the lecture can provide a guide to achieve this objective, especially as more oil and gas are being discovered in countries in Africa at a time the integration of the African market through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has begun and emphasis is shifting to sustainable renewable energy resources.”
The lecture, organisers say, is also an opportunity to discuss Africa’s economic development, especially against the background of ongoing debate on AfCFTA, whose implementation began on January 2021, amidst the controversy over the adoption of a regional currency by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and how this will affect exploitation of oil and gas resources in Nigeria and the continent in general.
“The lecture presents an opportunity for different experts to share their experiences on economic development in Africa with a mix of the growing audience following Realnews Magazine services on various media platforms. The lecture is expected to have massive positive impact on society,” Chigbo concluded.
