This Directorate is responsible for policy formulation, planning and implementation of the trade sector. It carries out these functions in close collaboration with other stakeholders as trade is a cross-cutting issue. The Directorate takes the lead role in trade negotiations. It advises the government on matters relating to domestic and foreign trade, conducts studies on export potentials, formulates trade policies and provides statistical trade data. The Directorate is also responsible for all bilateral and multilateral trade issues and also coordinates ECOWAS matters in the country. 

This Directorate is responsible for matters relating to investment and industrial development. The Directorate of investment and industry is mandated to formulate and implement comprehensive industrial, investment and micro, small and medium enterprise policies to facilitate the country’s industrialization process. It works closely with the productive sectors to identify new industrial opportunities in such sectors. It advises government on industrial policy matters including, among others, appropriate incentives to encourage private sector participation in industrial activities. It monitors and assesses industrial performance of the economy and advises government on appropriate policy actions to address challenges.

The Directorate also undertakes sectoral reviews not only to identify industrial opportunities but also to recommend policy and regulatory changes where such sectoral policies and regulations impact negatively on the industrial development agenda of the country. As industrial activities are mainly private sector matters, the Directorate advises government on programmes and projects that would enhance the capacity of the private sector to undertake industrial activities on more competitive bases.

It also recommends institutional setting for efficient and effective policy implementation as well as increase participation of the private sector in the economy. The Directorate represents the Ministry in technical meetings relating to industrial development issues both within and outside the country.

This Directorate is responsible for issues relating to employment mainstreaming in national development programmes to ensure that such programmes lead to employment generation. The unit is also responsible for formulation, implementation and coordination of employment policy. It advises government on labour policy issues, and promotes programmes that are trying to address unemployment. In close collaboration with Labour Department, the Unit ensures that the employers and employees better understand their respective rights and obligations as enshrined in the Labour Act of 2007.

It analyses trends in the labour market and advises government appropriately, and also ensures that national planning frameworks articulate employment issues adequately. The Unit also represents the MOTIE in technical meetings relating to employment and labour both within and outside the country.

This Unit is responsible for all issues relating to Regional Integration matters of the Ministry. The Unit monitors the regional integration programmes at ECOWAS, AU and OIC levels. In close collaboration with the relevant sectors, it coordinates the implementations and reporting of the ECOWAS, AU and OIC regional programmes. The Unit is also responsible for coordination of national preparatory works on negotiations of regional integration programmes to ensure that national interests are adequately taken into account during the preparation and implementation of such programmes.

The administrative unit is responsible for the general running of the Ministry. It is mandated to pride administrative and logistical assistance to all directorates/departments/units in the Ministry. Functions include;

•  Plays a role of an adviser and assister to Management and other Directorates/departments in the Ministry;
• Is the HR Centre for the Ministry. It also responsible for manpower issues for the Ministry;
• Provides logical assistance to the entire Ministry. In doing this, it make sure it provide mobility, offices for and equipment needed by all staff;
•  Is responsible for supervising the work done by the staff of the Ministry; 
•  Makes sure that all equipment’s and machines are maintained. If there are any damaged equipment’s, it is the unit’s responsibility to replace them and makes them functional;
• Is responsible for the approval of the office requisition.

This unit is responsible for all ICT related matters in Ministry. The mission of the Directorate of ICT in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment is to serve as a provider of effective ICT services, foster the use and application of IT to the needs of the Ministry, and an enabler in helping the Ministry to embrace new practices and tools that enhance workflow productivity. The ICT unit aims to provide high quality and effective IT service delivery that is responsive to the needs of the Ministry and its local and international partners.

Functions include;

•  Provide a sustainable enterprise-wide information system in the Ministry;
•  Support national budget preparation through the inputting of data into the LMIS and TRADEINFO websitest;
• Provide maintenance services on all Hardware, Software, Local Area Network (LAN) and other ICT related infrastructure of the Ministry;
•  Represent the Ministry on all ICT related gatherings; 
•  Develop ICT policies and standards for the Ministry;
•  Secure and maintain both the network and IT systems within the Ministry;
•  Support other service-wide projects that share or collaborate information process with the Ministry; and
•  Responsible for managing pilot ICT projects within the Ministry and ICT services provided by through user support group amongst others. 

This unit is responsible for planning and monitoring of activities and programmes implemented by all Technical Directorates and Units of the Ministry as well as collect and generate Trade, Industry and Employment Statistics for policy decision making for Government and Private Sector Consumption. The Unit also review the level of implementation of work plans and provide report to the Management in terms of results and state of progress in the work.