NACC’S press conference by the national president, Otunba Toyin Akomolafe

Protocols.

This Press Conference has been called to specifically address the public, well-meaning Nigerians as well as our associates and stakeholders both in Nigeria & United States on the Chamber’s kick-start of the Chamber’s 60th-year anniversary celebrations. The Chamber was already 60 years old October last year but the celebrations were pushed to the first quarter of this year (2021) due to the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, last year.

Background:

The Chambers was founded in October 1960 to foster and promote trade and investment between Nigeria and the United States.

The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) is the first and oldest bilateral chamber of commerce in Nigeria. It was established in 1960 to enhance and promote business relations between the United States of America and Nigeria. The Chamber started as a Luncheon Club then known as the Nigerian-American Friendship Club with few eminent Nigerians and an American namely, Late Sir. Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Chief (DR.) Christopher Ogunbanjo and Bob Fleming, then the Public Relations Manager at Mobil here in Nigeria. The Luncheon Club then gradually metamorphosed into the NACC with Late Sir Mobolaji Bank Anthony as its founding President. Of course, we have to also mention the respective roles played by other eminent Past Presidents inclusive of the late Chief Henry Fajemirokun of blessed memory, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, etc. The commitment of the respective Past Presidents cumulatively helped in bringing the Chamber to the stage it is today.

Our Vision is to be

A credible and foremost channel for fostering business and services between Nigeria and the United States.

And our Mission is

To advance economic cooperation between Nigeria and the United States through the promotion of business and services that improve trade relations and prosperity of both respective nations.

Key achievements have been recorded in the last 60 years

More than 60 years on, the NACC has grown into a dynamic organization. It stands as a pillar of the relationship between the United States of America and Nigeria, serving as an important catalyst in bringing together people and ideas to bolster bilateral commercial relations between Nigeria and the United States.

Close to 1000 members spanning different sectors of the economy have registered with the Chamber since inception. We have also registered 8 chapters of the Chamber across Nigeria with two in the United States (Atlanta & Houston). This has enabled the Chamber to realize its lofty aims and objectives which include the fostering of trade and commerce investment between Nigeria and the USA and liaising with the Nigerian Government and its agencies throughout the country on trade and industry-related matters.

We create value for our members continuously and facilitate business-to-business relationships. The services we offer to our members include the organization of trade missions into the two countries, sponsorship of training, conferences and seminars addressed by leading authorities in different fields, affording members and non-members a platform for the discussion of topical issues affecting the economy in general.

The Chamber has consolidated itself as a virile trade channel between Nigeria and The United States over its 60 years of existence. We maintain close relations with the Commercial Section of the United States Embassy as well as the other US Governmental agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), etc. We also work closely with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), etc. locally.

Specifically, we have organized several trade missions and taken our members to the United States where fruitful trade alliances have been consolidated. We also welcome inward missions from time to time.

Aside from these, we organize periodical events such as breakfast meetings where the top personnel in both the public and private sectors come to brief our members on topical issues that have bearings on their businesses.

Aside from all these, the Chamber is an AGOA Resource Centre. AGOA is the African Growth Opportunities Act which is an initiative of the United States Government to open up a preferential window of export opportunities to selected countries in Africa is inclusive of Nigeria.

This window of opportunity helps in assisting our members with information and training on export procedures and standards, etc. in exporting non-oil and Agro-allied products to the United States.

Membership strength

Close to 1,000 members have registered with the Chamber since inception cutting across all sectors of the Economy – banking, oil & gas, SMEs, Agriculture value chain, Services, etc.

Key projects is the Chamber currently involved in and what are the further aspirations of the Chamber at this milestone period in the Chamber’s life.

• We are trying to build our National Secretariat in Lagos here. Plans are currently afoot to bring that into reality

• B2B engagements through events

• Advocacy on AGOA

• Inward and outward Missions

Structure of the Chamber

We have 8 Chapters across all the Geo-political zones of Nigeria as well as 2 other Chapters in the United States, specifically in Houston & Atlanta totalling 10 in all.

Programmes set out for the 60^th Anniversary Celebrations

1. Anniversary Theme: Celebrating 60 years of Partnership and Prosperity

This is the theme of our anniversary celebration, It will highlight our contributions to bilateral trade and cultural relations between Nigeria & the United States over the last six decades. Thereby, all elements of our programmes and events will seek to emphasise this.

Our celebrations will thus be a year-long event comprising several activities as summarised below. Most of these activities will be executed as hybrid events. This means these activities will have very limited physical attendance. The majority of participants would be encouraged to join in online via zoom or any other suitable application/platform.

• Unveiling the Anniversary Banner & Logo

The 60th anniversary logo will be formally unveiled today.

3.  The 60th Anniversary Lecture … this is planned for April.

4. 60th Anniversary Showcase … The Chamber will showcase the achievements of NACC in 60 years in a story telling format (video/text/PowerPoint presentation) in May 2021. 

5. Coffee Table Book … This will be an exquisitely designed and produced NACC 60th anniversary memorabilia that will feature all past presidents with short profiles, the current EXCO and Board members, reports of Chamber’s activities and events since inception with photographs, etc.

6. Courtesy Visits by the President…… to our prominent members, well-wishers, partners, stakeholders, etc from February to May 30, 2021.

7. Charity Walk: This is being planned to start from the Secretariat to the US Consulate, a distance of 5.6 km for one hour. The Chamber is already receiving support on this. This will be late May/early June 2021

8. NACC 60th Anniversary Innovation Prize … The Chamber will call for entries from our members to enter for this competition. They would be required to submit their entries with a token fee to have the chance of winning the N1m Innovation Prize at stake. By “Innovation”, we are referring to a brand new idea or improvement on an existing idea submitted as entry (one entry only per member).

Timeline will be March 1 – May 30,2021.

9. NACC 60th Anniversary Dinner … in the spirit of strict observance of COVID-19 protocols, a very limited number of persons will be admitted to this event physically. Others will join by Zoom. At this event planned for June 2021, the Innovation Prize winner will receive his/her prize. In addition, the Coffee Table Book will be on display and sold to members and guests. Other details will be unveiled to the public in due cause.

We therefore seek the partnership of the press in all of these. The Secretariat led by the DG will continue to liaise with all of you to place all activities on the front burner.

We thank you all for your kind presence. The Chairman of the Committee will now speak briefly after which we will take your comments and questions.

Otunba Toyin Akomolafe

18^th February 2021