President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar with his predecessor, Barrister Adetokunbo Kayode, left, during the 31st Annual General Meeting in Abuja on December 9, 2021.
Despite all odds, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) was able to achieve remarkably in the outgoing year.
By Anthony Maliki
No doubt the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) is ending 2021 on a very high note with a number of successes it recorded during the year. It is no easy milestone but the Chamber was able to reach an appreciable height. And the year is the first for Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar as President.
On December 9, 2021, the Chamber capped its major activities of the year with the 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) unveiling resounding successes. In his speech at the event tagged “Year of consolidation and strengthening structure”, Dr. Abubakar stressed that upon assuming office in January 2021, and having appraised the activities of the Chamber, evolved a strategy that would strengthen structure, systems, processes and staff towards achieving the mission it set for the Chamber.
According to him, five strategic objectives were developed by his leadership and have been successful. These are to promote the interest of members of the Chamber, develop the staff of the Chamber through capacity building, optimize the land and property assets of the Chamber, strengthening existing relationship with other chambers of commerce and drive membership and increase collaboration between the Chamber and the government and diplomatic community.
Besides, Dr. Abubakar pointed out that the Chamber has strengthen its financial and payment processes to ensure compliance to good corporate governance practice. And this is to ensure transparency in all departments.
Just being modest, the President said it optimized the Chamber’s property and was able to put the facilities to use through rental, while managing the previous lease agreements. Furthermore, he said the Chamber’s 10-hectare land is been developed for value addition with Site Development Plan (SDP) designed and reached advanced state of approval at Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). “Following the design of the SDP, there is now additional space for lease open to members who might be interested in purchasing the land,” he noted.
According to him, on capacity-building, during the year 2021, the Executive Directors of all the Centres, Management and non management staff were trained consistent with the goal to develop, retain and attract skilled human capital.
Speaking on International Relations, he explained that, the Chamber continues to expand her frontiers in building relationships with embassies with a view to establishing linkages between members of the Chamber and their counterparts in other countries. “Through the embassies, contacts were made to business organizations and as a result, several business networking meetings were held,” he said.
The President also told the gathering that the Young CEOs category to encourage participation of young’s persons within the city of Abuja in the activities of Chambers of commerce was introduced. These young entrepreneurs were formally inducted at the AGM.
In order to ensure openness, the External Auditor’s report by Awulu Dickson & Co. was presented, adopted by the AGM and approval given to undertake that of next year.
Another major landmark of the outgoing year was the organization of a successful Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Conference and Exhibition which was formally declared open on August 16, 2021 by the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Maryam Katagum.
The programme was organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) in collaboration with Brandmarks Communication Limited, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and Sahel Standard Magazine.
With the theme, “Solution strategies for resolving tax, regulatory, packaging and logistics, challenges facing SMEs in Nigeria”, the conference brought stakeholders in the sector that identified issues mitigating against the growth and sustenance of SMEs in Nigeria and solutions proffered.
During the dialogue, SMEs operators called on the government to support the sectors by providing better enabling environment and also look at multiple taxation heaped on SMEs.
In his submission at the conference, the ACCI President, Dr. Abubakar said in a letter to the President on behalf of the Chamber, it submitted that multiple taxation as the principal headache killing SMEs and in effect, deepening unemployment crisis.
According to him, the Chamber proposed a legislation to harmonize taxation for SMEs of which detailed submission also seeks a Presidential Executive Order collating all current incentives for SMEs and issuing directive for due compliance.
Also at the forum, Chairman, Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, Senator Francis Fadahunsi noted that micro economies have been abandoned in Nigeria explaining that no country can grow without the SMEs as they are the foundation of the economy.
Perhaps the high point of programmes of ACCI in 2021 was the organization of its 16th International Trade Fair from September 30-October 9, 2021.
At the trade fair, there were lots of exhibitors from within and outside of Nigeria that showcased their products and services and prospectors looking for investors too.
Ide John Udeagbala, President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), noted that the organization will continue to support policies that would drive private sector initiative.
The Ambassador of Cote D’Ivoire to Nigeria, Sem. Kalilou Traore stated that his country is interested in strengthening its economic growth with Nigeria using Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a platform.
According to him, his country and Nigeria are at a $1.5billion business profile mainly in petroleum products and hope to improve on the figures.
Also, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Abhay Thakur, said business engagement with Nigeria and his country have increased with ACCI accounting for many. He said he is looking forward for a direct flight between India and Nigeria soon.
The Director General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Victoria Akai, said the impact of the trade fair is encouraging and its organization has improved from the years.
She said most of the packaging of made in Nigeria products have improved tremendously.
Indeed, looking back the last 12 months have been eventful and ACCI should be graded A+ on the score card and with these hindsights, 2022 might just be an icing on the cake.
