US embassy cable - 01ABUJA3071

UNCLAS ABUJA 003071 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EB/IP, AF/W AND PLEASE PASS TO FTC FOR RDAMTOFT 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, ETRD, EFIN, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIAN ANTI-TRUST BILL WENDING WAY THROUGH 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: FTC HELP REQUESTED 
 
 
REF: STATE 200906 
 
 
1.  The following answers are cued to questions in paragraph 
three of reftel. 
 
 
a.  The September conference that Basil Udotai referred to in 
his communication with the FTC was the first of four seminars 
on competition policy that the Executive and Legislative 
branches of the Niegrian Government are holding.  Udotai is a 
lawyer who is helping to organize the conference in 
affiliation with the Attorney General's office.  Also 
involved are individuals in the Presidency, Vice President's 
office and Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 
 
 
b. Dr. Abdul Muyassir Ladan is unknown to House of 
Representatives Privatization Committee Chair Chidi Duru. 
Our contacts at the Ministry of Commerce were unavailable to 
confirm his bona fides.  We will provide more information if 
it becomes available. 
 
 
c.  Doyin Oyetunde and the Law Union are also organizers of 
the four seminars mentioned in (a) above.  The second seminar 
is scheduled for December 5-6 in Lagos. 
 
 
 
 
2. We have learned that the Privatization Committee of the 
House of Representatives is "gazetting" draft anti-trust 
legislation and expects to have the first reading of the Bill 
before Christmas adjournment.  A vote presumably would come 
around mid-2002. The Mission encourages whatever support the 
FTC can lend to the development and implementation of a 
competition policy in Nigeria.  Chidi Duru has told us that 
the GON would value FTC participation in the seminar series 
(the last two will be in Abuja in February and May of 2002) 
and FTC advice on implementing the new legislation when it 
becomes law. 
 
 
3, Embassy Abuja contact is Economic Officer Tim Smith, 
234-9-670-0375, (H) 234-9-413-5698 and e-mail 
TFSmith52@aol.com. 
 
 
 
 
Jeter