ACCI set to implement mandatory registration of businesses into commerce chambers

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has revealed that plans are in place to initiate a bill that would mandate businesses to register with a chamber of commerce.

President of ACCI, Dr Al Mujtaba Abubakar, disclosed this at the 31st Annual General Meeting of ACCI on Thursday in Abuja.

The mandatory registration would give more recognition to the activities of chambers of commerce, Dr Al Mujtaba Abubakar insists.

“We have directed the Executive Director, National Chamber Policy Centre of ACCI to work with the National Assembly on initiating a Bill that would make it mandatory for businesses to register with a chamber of commerce.

“It will create more impact on policy decisions of government and that will positively affect businesses in the country,’’ Abubakar said.

On what the organization have been able to achieve in the past few months, Abubakar stated that ACCI had succeeded in expanding trade groups toward strengthening the participation of its members.

H noted that several trade groups along sectoral lines were inaugurated and this helped to  strengthen the participation of members and give the chamber the momentum it requires.

“I am confident this would help to create specialisation for members and improve their business lines with real-time information regarding their businesses,’’ Abubakar noted.

Commending the adoption of some chamber centres as national centres by the Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Abubakar expressed ACCI’s determination to expand frontiers in building relationships with embassies

He said “through the embassies, contacts were made to business organisations and as a result, several business networking meetings were held’’.

“This has not only strengthened the work of the centres but given them a national outlook,’’ he added.

The 2^nd Deputy President of NACCIMA, Mr Jani Ibrahim also stated that NACCIMA was considering ACCI as a reference point for chamber movement for Nigeria.

According to Ibrahim, with the membership quality and strategic location of its office, the ACCI should propel chamber movement in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement Agenda.