The German government has approved the second phase of its collaborative project aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s chambers of commerce and boosting youth skills development across the country.
The initiative, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, seeks to position the chambers as major drivers of vocational training and entrepreneurship for young Nigerians.
Head of Competence Centre Africa for the Giessen-Friedberg Chamber of Commerce, Dr Kristen Albrecht, confirmed the approval during a meeting with the executive members of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in Abuja on Friday.
Albrecht explained that the first phase of the programme focused on enhancing the capacities of NACCIMA, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and the Ogun Chamber of Commerce to enable them to better serve their member companies and support local businesses.
She said, “During the first phase, we worked closely with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to establish an innovation hub and a business centre in Ikeja, Lagos, where youths can develop their skills and receive support from the chamber.”
According to her, the second phase will expand on those achievements, with plans to enlarge the innovation hub and create new technology hubs offering qualification courses for young Nigerians, particularly in information technology.
“For the second phase, we plan to enlarge the innovation hub and install tech hubs where qualification courses will be held for young Nigerians seeking more skills, especially in information technology, so they can either stay and work in Nigeria or be prepared to work abroad,” Albrecht said.
She added that the next phase would also deepen German-Nigerian economic relations through joint participation in trade fairs and the introduction of a trade fair calendar featuring two trade missions annually between both countries.
Albrecht announced the launch of a new platform called “The World Meets in Giessen,” which will serve as a meeting point for small and medium enterprises from both countries. The platform will feature an annual B2B conference where businesses can connect, secure partnerships, and attract investments through AI-driven business matching tools.
Also speaking, the CEO of the Giessen Chamber of Commerce, Dr Matthias Leder, said the project aims to strengthen the capacities of Nigerian chambers and position them as key institutions driving national economic growth.
He said, “The B2B conference, scheduled for June 8 to 10, 2026, in Germany, will provide Nigerian SMEs with a valuable platform for international exposure, technology transfer, and investment opportunities that can help scale their operations.”
Leder praised the collaboration with NACCIMA on the dual vocational training programme and urged the association to expand the initiative across the country to empower more young people.
In his remarks, NACCIMA President Engr Jani Ibrahim said the partnership with the German Chamber has matured into a productive relationship that continues to benefit Nigerian youths through capacity building and skills training.
“It is a relationship that has started well, and we are consolidating it to train young Nigerians and make them marketable globally through vocational skills,” he said.
Ibrahim added that acquiring skills through the dual vocational training model would enable young Nigerians to legally work abroad, reducing the risks associated with irregular migration.
He further noted that NACCIMA’s partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) focuses on training and facilitating the export of skilled artisans to international markets as part of its ongoing talent development initiative.
