Cablegate: Nigerian Anti-Trust Bill Wending Way Through

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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

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