The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise [CPPE] has commended President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, CFA and the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for suspending the implementation of the contentious EEL. This gesture is a demonstration of the fact the Tinubu administration is responsive, democratic and inclusive in its governance process. It shows that the administration is a listening government. Responsiveness to the concerns of stakeholders is a critical attribute of true democracy.
Meanwhile, as we reflect on the next steps, we wish to stress that there are already extant laws and regulations within the framework of the Nigeria Immigration Act and the Expatriate Quota Handbook that squarely address the outcomes contemplated in the EEL. The handbook is robust and comprehensive and covers the critical issues of technology transfer, localization of jobs, and restrictions of some categories of expatriates from entry into the country, based on current skill gaps.
The National Content Act and Presidential Executive Orders Three and Five also focus on localization of procurement and service opportunities.
What needs to be done differently is to strengthen the institutional and regulatory effectiveness in the Ministry of Interior and the Immigration Service to ensure compliance and enforcement. The truth is that relevant institutions have over the years been considerably compromised. These are the gaps that needs to be addressed. We really do not need a new policy, regulation or handbook on the employment of expatriates. A new regulation or policy will be superfluous. The current regulations or handbook could be tweaked, if necessary.
Evidence of regulatory weaknesses are the numerous instances of expatriates operating in the retail sector in the open markets, competing with our market women and men. We surely do not lack expertise in retail trading. But we have seen cases of some expatriates taking up shops in our traditional markets. Many of our indigenous traders in the markets have been displaced by these expatriates because they cannot compete with them. There are similar concerns expressed by our indigenous retailers in the computer and electronics, textiles and fabrics, and fashion accessories where expatriates are competing with them at the retail end of the market. Some of these companies dominate the entire value chain – they are the manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
These are some of the issues that need to be addressed by the immigration service and the Ministry of Interior. Competition with our struggling market women and men is clearly an unfair competition.
