NACCIMA’s national meeting in Nsukka is described as a landmark opportunity expected to boost trade, investment, jobs and the local economy of Enugu State.
The President of the Nsukka Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NSCCIMA), Chief Sam Otoboeze, has described the planned hosting of the third-quarter National Council and Executive Council Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in Nsukka as a landmark achievement for the business community in the zone.
Otoboeze disclosed this in Nsukka while briefing journalists on the upcoming event, which will run alongside the 2026 Nsukka Trade Expo and Exhibition from September 15 to 20 at Ekpo Hall, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
According to him, the convergence of national business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs in Nsukka will create new opportunities for trade, investment and economic expansion while positioning the area as a major commercial destination.
He described the hosting as particularly significant because, according to the chamber, it will mark the first time NACCIMA’s national executive meeting is being held in Nsukka since the association’s establishment.
“It is worth celebrating because any chamber that hosts NACCIMA, which has over 620 members, witnesses the opening of many business opportunities that stimulate the economy,” Otoboeze said.
He projected that the September gathering could inject at least ₦75 million into Enugu State’s local economy through spending across the transport, hospitality, retail and informal sectors.
“Transporters, the hospitality industry, markets, even banana and groundnut sellers will benefit. So, the hosting is an important event and we are not taking it for granted,” he said.
Otoboeze said the chamber’s objective extends beyond hosting the NACCIMA meeting, noting that the accompanying trade expo would provide a platform for businesses in Nsukka and across Enugu State to connect with larger national markets.
He said the expo would bring together academic institutions, businesses, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in what he described as a convergence of “town and gown.”
The chamber’s focus on investment and enterprise development comes amid growing efforts to position Nsukka as a major economic corridor in Enugu State. In June, NSCCIMA proposed a ₦1 billion Enterprise Development Programme Fund to stimulate businesses and investment across the Nsukka Economic Zone.
The proposal identified Nsukka’s agricultural resources, the University of Nigeria’s intellectual base and its growing population as key advantages for agro-industrialisation, food processing, SME expansion, innovation and export-oriented production.
NACCIMA’s own membership records list NSCCIMA among the recognised chambers in Enugu State, alongside the Enugu and 9th Mile chambers.
The NSCCIMA president stressed the importance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to employment generation and economic development, particularly in a country with a large youthful population.
He argued that creating opportunities for young people through entrepreneurship and productive economic activities could help address unemployment and contribute to reducing insecurity.
“Our country’s population is dominated by youths and we have to engage them to reduce the security challenges in the country since government cannot do it alone,” he said.
Otoboeze said the trade exhibition would showcase opportunities in agriculture, MSMEs and other productive sectors while linking local producers with national markets.
He added that the event was also designed to attract both local and international investors to Nsukka.
The NSCCIMA president urged business owners across Enugu State to take advantage of the NACCIMA meeting and trade expo to expand their networks, showcase their products and explore new investment opportunities.
He also appealed to Nsukka indigenes at home and abroad to support the chamber and contribute to the successful hosting of the national business gathering.
Otoboeze said the combined NACCIMA meeting and Nsukka Trade Expo would help stimulate local economic activity, create employment opportunities and strengthen Nsukka’s visibility on Nigeria’s trade and investment map.
NSCCIMA’s broader economic advocacy aligns with the stated objectives of the South East Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA), which promotes business development, entrepreneurship, networking and collaboration across the region.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.
