CBN hosts African finance ministers, central bank governors on agric policy

The Central Bank of Nigeria will play host to finance ministers and central bank governors from across Africa when they gather in Abuja on March 9 and 10 for what has been termed a senior policy seminar on agriculture.

A statement issued by the Nigerian apex financial institution described the seminar as aimed at promulgating a policy on how the continent would leverage research for agricultural development.

Organised by the CBN in collaboration with the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), a Nairobi-based public non-profit organization, devoted to advancement of economic policy research and training, it said the seminar is expected to provide high-level African policy makers, including central bank governors, ministers of finance and others across the continent, the opportunity to come together to dialogue and exchange ideas and policy experiences and research studies conducted by the AERC and its affiliates.

According to the statement, the seminar, with the theme, “Agricultural and Food Policies for Better Nutrition in Africa”, will have about 15 central bank governors and finance ministers across the continent in attendance.

It described the AERC’s partnership with the CBN for the sponsorship of the seminar as being informed by the CBN’s effort to revamp agricultural value chains in the country in line with the Nigeria’s agenda of reviving and diversifying the economy.