NIPC, ACCI to establish investment academy

The Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) says it will collaborate with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) to establish an investment academy.

The academy is to train Nigerians on ways to attract investment opportunities to Nigeria.

Executive Secretary of NIPC, Mr Emeka Offor, according to a statement on Wednesday, said this when he visited the ACCI on Tuesday.

Offor said that the proposal to establish the academy was long overdue, which necessitated his visit to ACCI to resuscitate and finalise the agreement.

“We are here on our earlier proposal on how to resuscitate an early investment academy in partnership with ACCI on investment promotion.”

“The aim of the academy is to train and equip Nigerians in the area of ICT, investment promotions, others and to empower investment promotion program for states,” he said.

Offor reiterated NIPC’s commitment to provide required information for investors and also get feedback on how the business environment in Nigeria is fairing.

According to him, NIPC has done all that is within its power to facilitate the process of investment and investment activities.

He said it had also worked to make recommendations to the government on ways of improving the business environment through linkage of MSMEs to demands.

“We need collaboration to attract investment and investors to Nigeria because we cannot do it alone.”

“And since we know that ACCI is a foremost Chamber in Nigeria due to the membership, we are collaborating with the Chamber to move Nigeria investment opportunities forward.”

“Our collaboration with you includes the need to share information,” Offor said.

He said that one of the key roles they play as a commission is to project positive image of investment.

“And we need to educate Nigeria to market their country because we don’t have it better in other climes, but they market their countries well,” Offor said.

The President of ACCI, Dr Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, lauded the initiative and said that Nigerians have a lot to do in marketing the country to investors from other countries.

Abubakar said this was crucial in attracting foreign investments.

Abubakar urged NIPC to work closely with ACCI for the establishment of the investment academy.

“Our Centre has been adopted by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).”

“We have established association and linkages with business groups, trade associations, international Chambers, government agencies, trade offices and foreign embassies, to accomplish our goal of enhancing sustainable growth and development of businesses in FCT and beyond.”

ACCI’s Vice President (Finance), Alhaji Usman Balarabe, appealed to NIPC to organise training for Chamber of Commerce and investors.

The Director General of ACCI, Ms Victoria Akai, said the past administration of the Chamber had worked on a draft document for the establishment of the investment academy.

She assured that the MoU between ACCI and NIPC for the setting up of the academy would be fast-tracked.

“We were almost there, we spoke to the experts on train-the-trainers, and we will continue from where we stopped to make it a success.” she said.

Our correspondent reports that both parties renewed commitments towards enhancing partnership on several projects that would improve the country’s investment landscape.

A four-man committee was constituted to work on the final agreement for the establishment of the investment academy.