The Nigerians in Diaspora Chamber of Commerce (NiDCC) says it is positioning itself as a catalyst for economic inclusion, entrepreneurship and investment flow into Nigeria and other emerging markets.
NiDCC President, Ms. Patience Ndidi Key, made the remarks at a stakeholders’ engagement held in Abuja on Saturday, ahead of the Chamber’s Grand Project Launch and Business Summit scheduled for December 15 and 16 in Lagos.
Key said the Chamber was created as a global business platform linking innovators, investors and professionals across advanced and emerging economies. She stressed that the organisation intends to play a direct role in narrowing the widening gap between the rich and poor, which she noted contributes to insecurity, corruption and unemployment.
“There is abundant talent in Nigeria and across Africa,” Key said. “Our responsibility is to connect people with ideas to those with resources so that value is created and retained within our communities.”
She noted projections by the World Bank and Brookings Institution that emerging markets could account for 60 per cent of global GDP growth by 2030, with African consumer and business spending expected to reach $6.7 trillion before the decade ends. Key urged Nigerians to prioritise local production and intra-African trade.
She added that NiDCC would maintain a cooperative relationship with any administration while advocating policies that enable business growth. The summit in Lagos, she explained, will feature project showcases, investment sessions and discussions on vocational and entrepreneurial development.
Former Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Americas (NIDOA) USA Board, Key urged Nigerians at home and abroad to invest in national progress. “Our duty is to give back sincerely and consistently. Only then can the nation grow,” she said.
NiDCC Board of Trustees member and former FERMA Chairman, Mr. Jide Adeniji, encouraged citizens to move beyond criticism and contribute meaningfully to nation building. He described the Chamber as a unifying platform capable of leveraging the strength of Nigeria’s diaspora population.
“When we act together, there is nothing beyond our reach,” he said.
Joining virtually, Dr. Abduljalil Tafewa Balewa said Nigeria’s mineral wealth and human capital had long benefited other nations, insisting the time had come to prioritise local development and value addition.
Dr. James Okocha, NiDCC Director of Partnership and Strategic Alliances, said the Chamber was structured to respond to pressing challenges such as youth unemployment, investment shortages and insecurity. He urged the government to collaborate with NiDCC to accelerate its impact.
Entrepreneur Michael Ezenwa also voiced confidence that the Chamber’s initiatives would open up new opportunities, especially for young Nigerians seeking business or job pathways.
NiDCC’s Director of Mobilisation and Business Development, Mr. Oka Shedrach, appealed for support from private companies, multinationals and state governments ahead of the December summit. He noted that national policy discussions must translate into practical solutions that shift young people “from the streets into productive activity.”
He highlighted estimates placing Nigeria’s creative industry on course to generate more than $100 billion and three million jobs by 2030, adding that young people, the backbone of the sector, must be empowered to seize those prospects.
Nancy Bernard, an emerging performer acclaimed as the first Nigerian artist to perform in the Sahara Desert, described the Chamber as a platform with vast potential. She called on policymakers and media organisations to lend their support.
