ICCD Seeks NACCIMA Partnership to Drive Halal Investment in Nigeria, Africa
Oru Leonard
The Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD), has identified the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), as a strategic partner in promoting halal investment opportunities and expanding its activities across Nigeria and the African continent.
ICCD Secretary-General, Mr. Yousef Hasan Khalawi, disclosed this on Friday during a courtesy visit to the NACCIMA headquarters in Abuja, where he was received by NACCIMA National President, Engr. Jani Ibrahim, mni, OON, and members of his management team.
Khalawi said the ICCD was seeking to deepen its presence in Nigeria as part of efforts to attract halal investments, strengthen the country’s halal ecosystem and position Nigeria as a major gateway for its activities across Africa.
He urged Nigeria to participate more actively in the ICCD’s global programmes, including the London Halal Forum and Makkah Halal Forum, among other international initiatives.
According to him, the global halal economy is currently valued at about $7 trillion, covering a wide range of lifestyle sectors, goods and financial services.
Khalawi, an international adviser in business management and development with extensive experience in the Islamic economy, was in Nigeria for the launch of the ICCD’s first Halal reception in Lagos.
He described the reception as the beginning of a broader range of initiatives that the organisation intends to introduce in Nigeria, expressing satisfaction with the participation of key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.
The ICCD Secretary-General said Nigeria’s economic size, diversity and strategic position on the continent made it indispensable to the organisation’s African expansion plans.
“There is a huge strategy behind that. Nigeria represents Africa. It is one of the largest and most diversified economies in Africa. Without Nigeria, we will never be able to achieve any of our major strategies. If we miss Nigeria, it means we are missing Africa,” he said.
He added that Nigeria had the potential to emerge as a major hub for ICCD initiatives across Africa.
Beyond halal investment and business development, Khalawi said the ICCD also implements programmes focused on women empowerment, technology transfer and knowledge exchange.
He disclosed that the organisation would launch the Halal Tech Concept in London this year, describing it as a global initiative that would focus on the application of technology within the halal economy.
“This year in London, for example, we are going to launch for the first time The Halal Tech Concept. We will be focusing on the halal technologies. It is going to be a global event, and we invite participation from Nigeria too,” he said.
The ICCD, an international non-governmental organisation operating across 57 countries, serves as a gateway to Muslim business communities across four continents.
The organisation’s decision to identify NACCIMA as a strategic partner is expected to strengthen collaboration on trade, investment, business development and economic opportunities within Nigeria and the wider African market.
