FG's $1 Trillion Economy Drive: NACCIMA to Deepen Nigeria-China Economic Partnership Through Business and Investment Forum 3.0.

 

As Nigeria intensifies efforts to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is positioning itself at the forefront of attracting strategic foreign investments.

The chamber has announced the third edition of its Business and Investment Forum, a flagship initiative aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Nigeria and China while attracting sustainable investments that support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

The announcement was made by NACCIMA's National Public Relations Officer, Madinat Adigun-Oladotun, who revealed that the forum will take place in Guangzhou, China, alongside the 140th Canton Fair, one of the world's largest and most influential international trade exhibitions.

Connecting Nigeria with Global Investors

According to Adigun-Oladotun, the forum is designed to connect Nigeria directly with leading Chinese investors, manufacturers, industrialists and business executives across multiple sectors of the economy.

She explained that the initiative seeks to unlock new investment opportunities, encourage industrial development, and stimulate sustainable economic growth.

"The Business and Investment Forum is a strategic platform to attract valuable and sustainable economic opportunities that will accelerate the actualisation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's vision of building a one trillion-dollar economy by 2030," she said.

Beyond a Consumer Economy

Adigun-Oladotun stressed that Nigeria must reposition itself beyond being a consumer market and become a preferred destination for investment, manufacturing, value addition and industrial production.

She noted that Nigeria possesses the population, abundant natural resources, entrepreneurial talent and strategic geographical advantage needed to serve as the gateway to Africa's expanding market.

According to her, achieving this vision will require deliberate investments in infrastructure, improved access to finance, modern technology, innovation and stronger international partnerships capable of driving industrialisation.

Building Stronger Nigeria-China Partnerships

She explained that NACCIMA established the Business and Investment Forum in Guangzhou to create lasting relationships between Nigerian businesses and credible Chinese investors committed to mutually beneficial partnerships.

Reflecting on the success of the previous two editions, Adigun-Oladotun said the initiative has already laid a strong foundation for long-term collaboration with members of the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), Guangzhou, with the support of the Consul General of Nigeria in Guangzhou, Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas.

She disclosed that these collaborations are already opening investment opportunities in key sectors such as:

• Automobile and electric vehicle manufacturing
• Agribusiness
• Renewable energy
• Pharmaceuticals
• Industrial park development
• Other strategic industries

Call for Active Participation

NACCIMA has called on state governors, federal ministries, agencies, local governments and private sector organisations to participate actively in the trade mission.

The association believes the forum presents an opportunity to attract quality investments, facilitate technology transfer, strengthen local manufacturing, promote skills development and generate sustainable employment.

Adigun-Oladotun particularly encouraged state governments to showcase their investment potential by registering for the forum and engaging directly with credible Chinese investors.

She urged them to collaborate with NACCIMA and the organised private sector to secure partnerships aligned with their respective comparative economic advantages.

A Platform for Nigeria's Industrial Future

Describing Guangzhou as one of the world's foremost commercial and manufacturing hubs and home to the globally renowned Canton Fair, Adigun-Oladotun encouraged Nigerian businesses and investors to take advantage of the trade mission.

She expressed confidence that the Business and Investment Forum 3.0 would create strategic partnerships capable of accelerating Nigeria's industrial transformation, expanding foreign direct investment, and supporting the country's ambition of becoming a one trillion-dollar economy by 2030.#

FG's Renewed Hope Skills Programme Equips Nigerians for Self-Reliance

The Federal Government's Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme is gaining momentum across Nigeria, as thousands of participants undergo intensive practical training aimed at equipping them with employable skills, promoting entrepreneurship, and reducing poverty through sustainable livelihoods.

Implemented by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the nationwide initiative is expected to benefit 18,510 Nigerians. The programme was officially flagged off by the Minister, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, as part of the Federal Government's commitment to empowering citizens through skills acquisition rather than short-term relief.

In a statement issued by the Minister's Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis, Dr. Abimbola Fasanu, the initiative was described as a significant milestone in Nigeria's poverty reduction strategy. According to the statement, the programme marks a shift from temporary interventions to sustainable economic empowerment by providing practical skills that enable beneficiaries to earn steady incomes, build resilient livelihoods, and become financially independent.

Speaking on the third day of the training at the Women Development Centre in Agege, Lagos, the Programme Coordinator and Centre Head, Mrs. Kemilat Opasaye, said the initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda by equipping vulnerable Nigerians with practical skills for self-reliance.

She explained that participants are receiving hands-on training in a wide range of vocational trades, including tailoring, welding, carpentry, catering, baking, agro-processing, bead and jewellery making, as well as other income-generating skills. At the end of the two-week training, beneficiaries will receive trade-specific starter packs to help them launch their own businesses.

According to Mrs. Opasaye, the programme goes beyond teaching vocational skills. It is designed to create sustainable livelihoods, reduce unemployment, encourage entrepreneurship, and empower beneficiaries to become employers of labour.

"This initiative is about giving Nigerians the opportunity to acquire practical skills that will improve their lives and enable them to build sustainable sources of income," she said.

The programme aligns with the Ministry's broader vision of moving vulnerable Nigerians from dependence to economic self-reliance through sustainable empowerment initiatives. It also complements the Ministry's One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), which integrates humanitarian assistance, social protection, skills development, and economic inclusion into a coordinated national framework for poverty reduction.

Facilitators at the Agege training centre praised the programme, describing it as a practical intervention that combines classroom learning with intensive hands-on experience to prepare participants for self-employment and long-term success.

Beneficiaries also expressed gratitude for the opportunity. Miss Uche Obinna, a participant in the baking class, said the training had given her the confidence to establish her own business. Similarly, Mrs. Adebisi Muhammed, a graduate undergoing tailoring training, described the programme as a pathway to financial independence through entrepreneurship.

The Renewed Hope Vocational and Skills Training Programme is being implemented simultaneously across the country as part of the Federal Government's drive to expand economic opportunities, create sustainable livelihoods, and lift more Nigerians out of poverty through skills development, enterprise support, and inclusive social protection.

As the programme continues to roll out nationwide, it represents another step towards building a more productive, self-reliant, and economically empowered Nigeria, where practical skills become the foundation for lasting prosperity.#