Nigerian Shippers Council, ACCI forge alliance on non-oil trade

The Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius, says the Council and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) have forged a  common goal of transforming Nigeria’s port sector into a robust engine for non-oil economic growth.

Dr. Pius Akutah emphasized that this is a call for practical steps towards growing the non-oil export and import sector through joint advocacy, capacity building, information sharing, export documentation and alternative Dispute Resolution.

Akutah stated this while welcoming the Director-General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Mr. Agabaidu Chukwemeka Jideani at the NSC Liaison Office, Abuja, recently.

The NSC Boss proposed a “symbiotic relationship” founded on joint advocacy to dismantle unfair shipping practices and trade barriers. Central to this partnership is a strong focus on capacity building and information sharing, with both organizations operating as data-driven entities to guide businesses and prevent them from losing money in foreign trades where they lack proper knowledge of their international partners.
He also highlighted plans to leverage the Cargo Defence Fund to train exporters on documentation, shipping contracts, and global best practices, addressing recurring issues like poor packaging that often lead to rejected shipments abroad.

To save businesses from “costly and expensive” legal delays, the Council offered its complaint handling platform as a non-adversarial alternative to court actions.

Looking towards the future, the ES/CEO proposed the establishment of an Abuja Shippers Association Booth at the September 2026 Trade Fair to provide local shippers with global market visibility.

He concluded by promising that ACCI members would have their complaints treated with “urgency” and, significantly, that the Chamber would always have “a seat at the table” when new policies affecting shippers are being discussed.

In response, the Director-General, ACCI, welcomed the partnership and outlined key initiatives for collaboration. He highlighted the Business Skills and Technology (BEST) Centre, which has trained over 500 exporters through international partnerships, noting that gaps in packaging and documentation often result in Nigerian goods being rebranded abroad. He proposed the Centre as a training hub for NSC, particularly for the northern region.

The DG also drew attention to the Chamber’s Dispute Resolution Centre, which provides mediation and arbitration services, as well as its Policy Advocacy Centre, which bridges the gap between government and the private sector.

To improve awareness, he called for clearer communication of NSC’s mandate, often confused with that of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.

Further proposals included joint trade missions, policy dialogues across northern Nigeria, and creative advocacy initiatives, such as using metal art to promote awareness of the maritime sector.

Dr. Akutah, however, directed the Head of the Abuja Liaison Office, Dr. Pauline Osasona, to establish a working team to drive implementation, beginning with training programmes and preparations for the 2026 Abuja International Trade Fair.