Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce inagurates Atelly as 18th President, unveils programmes

Ray Atelly has been sworn in as the 18th President of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC).

Atelly, at his presidential inauguration dinner at Eko Hotels and Suites Lagos, outlined his vision and goals during his tenure.

In a statement by the Chamber on Saturday, Atelly, assured members of the launch of the President’s Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre, and the grand unveiling of the NBCC MSME Ideathon competition, a programme that invites everyone to share ideas and proffer working solutions to entrepreneurship problems across board.

The chamber has a tradition of executing a two-year tenure for its president/chairman of council, hence the presidential inauguration dinner. Atelly’s tenure will run from 2023 to 2025.

Persecond News reports that since the inception of the NBCC in 1977, it has played a major role in promoting trade and investment between Britain and Nigeria and also creating an extraordinary environment for unity, dialogue and networking.

Furthermore trade and investment between Nigeria and the UK released by the Department for Business and Trade, total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Nigeria was £6.9bn in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2023, an increase of 18.5 per cent or £1.1bn in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q2 2022.

Out of this £6.9bn, total UK exports to Nigeria amounted to £4.0bn in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2023 (an increase of 11.3 per cent or £406m in current prices compared to the four quarters to the end of Q2 2022).

The growing volume of trade and investment between Nigeria and the UK did not happen overnight. It was made possible substantially by the facilitation of stakeholders, including NBCC.

In attendance were dignitaries, including the Chief Host, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu ably represented by Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, and the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji M.K. Ahmad, OON, Chairman, Polaris Bank Ltd.

Others were the Guest Speaker, Mr. Tony Elumelu CFR, the Chairman, Heirs Holding, represented by Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi , Deputy Group Managing Director of UBA Group, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, represented by Mr. Charles Odii, the Managing Director SMEDAN.