The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), in collaboration with telecommunications company MTN Group, will host the South Africa-Nigeria Private Sector Engagement Session next week.

This strategic dialogue is part of ongoing efforts to deepen economic cooperation between South Africa and Nigeria.

The session, which will be held at MTN’s head office in Gauteng on April 30, will engage South African companies currently operating in Nigeria, as well as those with a demonstrated interest in exploring new commercial opportunities in the Nigerian market.

It aims to create a platform for meaningful dialogue between public and private sector stakeholders, supporting trade and investment facilitation between the two countries.

This engagement follows a commitment made during the eleventh Session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), held in South Africa in December 2024.

At that session, both parties agreed to convene the inaugural meeting of the Joint Ministerial Advisory Council on Trade, Industry and Investment (JMACITI) during the 2025/26 financial year.

JMACITI – originally launched on December 1, 2021, during the tenth BNC in Abuja – serves as a mechanism for strengthening bilateral economic relations and coordinating joint initiatives under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, who will lead the engagement, says the session will mark an important milestone in the broader vision of a more integrated and competitive African economy.

“This session is not only about market access, it is about forging strategic partnerships that advance intra-African trade and foster industrial development under the AfCFTA,” he highlights.

Tau adds that open dialogue between government and business is central to building a conducive environment for trade and investment.

“We are intentional about creating policy frameworks that enable South African firms to expand across the continent. Constructive, collaborative platforms like this are vital for identifying opportunities, removing barriers, and ensuring our economic diplomacy has real impact,” he says.

The engagement will also provide an update on preparations for the inaugural JMACITI meeting and offer a forum to explore opportunities for joint ventures, value chain integration and cooperation in key sectors such as manufacturing, the digital economy, agriculture, infrastructure and financial services.