In a strategic push to attract foreign investment and expand trade, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has unveiled a landmark Economic Diplomacy Dialogue in Abuja, positioning the private sector at the heart of Nigeria’s global economic engagement.
NACCIMA National President, Dr. Jani Ibrahim, described the dialogue as a turning point in the country’s quest to build strategic partnerships between its business community and the diplomatic corps. “Today marks a new dawn in our collective effort to deepen economic collaboration, drive industrial development, and achieve inclusive growth,” Ibrahim stated.
The initiative introduces a Private Sector–Diplomatic Dialogue Framework, complete with proposed joint working groups on trade and digital economy, and mechanisms to track impact and outcomes. NACCIMA also announced plans to host a high-level Investment Summit on December 2–3, 2025, to channel capital into priority sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Dr. Ibrahim emphasized that NACCIMA’s economic diplomacy drive aligns with the Federal Government’s 8-Point Agenda and the “Nigeria First” economic principle, aimed at transforming Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy.
Backing the initiative, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, called NACCIMA a vital partner in President Bola Tinubu’s international economic strategy. “This dialogue is essential to the government’s focus on pragmatic, opportunity-driven diplomacy that can expand value chains, attract investment, and create jobs,” Tuggar said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s demographic advantage, Tuggar said the country’s population presents an opportunity to build domestic capacity, ensure food security, and drive exports. He also cited reforms in Special Economic Zones, energy transition, and industrial clusters as investment-ready opportunities for global partners.
Ambassador Houssam Diab, representing the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Salaheddine Ibrahima, described Nigeria as a country of “unfathomable opportunities.” He praised the Tinubu administration’s market reforms and revealed plans for a Nigeria-Lebanon Business Council to further economic cooperation.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, represented by Special Adviser Patience Okala, commended NACCIMA’s role in shaping economic policy. She announced the launch of a national export trading company in collaboration with Afreximbank, and a new air cargo route linking Nigeria to 13 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, aimed at boosting intra-African trade under the AfCFTA framework.
The Economic Diplomacy Dialogue was hailed by stakeholders as a timely step toward bridging Nigeria’s economic ambitions with international partnerships, with NACCIMA now taking a leading role in advancing private sector-led growth through diplomacy.
