March 12, 2026
The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Emeka Obegolu, SAN, PhD, received a large delegation from the Atlanta Black Chambers during a strategic engagement aimed at strengthening commercial ties between the United States and Nigeria.
The delegation, led by Ricardo Berris, Chairman of the Global Opportunities Committee of the Atlanta Black Chambers, comprised business leaders and investors across key sectors, including agriculture, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, oil and gas, technology, finance, real estate, mining, education, tourism, healthcare, and consulting services.
The visit was designed to foster structured business-to-business (B2B) engagements, explore investment opportunities, and build sustainable U.S.–Nigeria commercial partnerships.
In his welcome remarks, Chief Obegolu highlighted the Chamber’s commitment to supporting businesses through its specialized operational centres. He introduced the four centres of the ACCI: the Business Entrepreneurship Skills and Technology (BEST) Centre, which focuses on capacity building and manpower development for businesses; the National Policy Advocacy Centre (NPAC), which drives policy advocacy and engages government on issues affecting the ease of doing business; the Dispute Resolution Centre (DRC), which provides alternative dispute resolution services for businesses; and the Abuja Trade Centre (ATC), which promotes trade through business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) engagements, as well as trade fairs and exhibitions.
The ACCI President welcomed the delegation to Abuja and commended the Atlanta Black Chambers for seeking collaboration with the Chamber, noting that such partnerships would open new opportunities for Nigerian businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Berris expressed appreciation for the warm reception and emphasized that the visit was aimed at creating meaningful opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors on both sides. He noted that the Atlanta Black Chambers is an inclusive organization, adding that business owners and entrepreneurs are welcome to join the network and benefit from its global opportunities.
The meeting culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Atlanta Black Chambers to formalize cooperation and strengthen bilateral business engagement. Obegolu signed the agreement on behalf of ACCI, while Berris signed on behalf of the Atlanta Black Chambers.
The ACCI President was accompanied at the meeting by several members of the Executive Committee, Council, and management of the Chamber, including Vice President, External Relations, Dr Agada Elachi, SAN; Vice President, Women Development and Gender Matters, Engr (Mrs) Lawunmi Ismail; Chairperson of the Women in Business Trade Group and Council Member, Mrs Chioma Njoku; former Vice President, Finance, Alh. sman Balarabe; Council Members Chief Peter Ozoagu Esq,FCArb, Maurius Ikechukwu, and Lady Helen Uchechukwu; Executive Director of the National Policy Advocacy Centre, Dr Chidiebere Onwumere; General Counsel, Hajia Hauwa Kaka Usman; and Executive Director of the Abuja Trade Centre, Mr Ezekwesili Nnaemeka Nnam, among others.
Following the meeting, participants engaged in a breakout session that provided opportunities for one-on-one discussions with sector leaders across areas such as mergers and acquisitions, logistics, go-to-market strategy, marketing and media consulting, and information technology consulting.
The engagement underscored the shared commitment of both organizations to deepen trade relations, facilitate investment flows, and create platforms for sustainable economic collaboration between businesses in Nigeria and the United States.
Olayemi John-Mensah
ACCI Media and Strategy Officer
