Afrigather Marilyn Rapu is the director-general, Nigerian-German Chamber of Commerce (NGCC). On this interview with KENNETH ATHEKAME, she spoke, amongst different points, on the Chamber’s mission, improvements, function of knowledge and analysis in its operations, and the way the Chamber maintains relationship amongst stakeholders. Excerpts:
In your capability because the director-general of the Nigerian-German Chamber of Commerce; what’s the chamber’s imaginative and prescient in fostering enterprise pursuits in each international locations?
Our imaginative and prescient is to function a platform for fostering enterprise relations and innovation between Nigeria and Germany. We purpose to facilitate mutually useful partnerships by creating alternatives for companies in each international locations to collaborate, trade information, and leverage one another’s strengths. Our aim is to supply members entry to beneficial market insights, strategic networking occasions, and conferences and enterprise help providers.
How do you have interaction stakeholders throughout the totally different sectors of the financial system to help your strategic initiatives?
Participating stakeholders throughout numerous sectors of the financial system is essential to the success of our strategic initiatives. We make use of a multi-faceted strategy that emphasizes collaboration, communication, and worth creation.
We organise sector-specific boards, roundtable discussions, and workshops that convey collectively key gamers to handle their distinctive challenges and alternatives. These platforms permit us to collect insights, share finest practices, and align our initiatives with the wants of every sector. We advocate for beneficial insurance policies that help each Nigerian and German companies by working with the nationwide physique of chambers and regulators. Lastly, we offer common networking alternatives via enterprise luncheons, commerce missions, and exhibitions. These occasions function platforms for stakeholders to attach, trade concepts, and discover alternatives for collaboration, which helps drive help for our initiatives.
What are the main strategic shifts the Chamber has influenced throughout companies in each international locations?
In Nigeria, the Chamber in collaboration with ‘GIZ’s Alliance for Integrity’ has helped companies undertake finest practices in company governance, transparency, and compliance via numerous free coaching programmes in company governance and compliance. This October, we’re providing a subsidised and reasonably priced coaching on our Export Collection in partnership with the Institute of Export Operations and Administration of Nigeria. Please go to our web site: https://ngcc-ng.com for extra particulars. We’ve positioned sturdy emphasis on expertise switch and capability constructing, particularly within the space of vocational schooling and technical coaching. By working with German companies and establishments, we’ve facilitated information switch packages which have considerably enhanced workforce improvement in Nigeria. This shift has empowered native industries with the talents and experience wanted.
Recognising the rising significance of sustainability, the Chamber has actively supported the Delegation of German Business and Commerce in Nigeria (AHK Nigeria) in selling the adoption of renewable power applied sciences in Nigeria, drawing from Germany’s experience within the sector. This has led to the elevated participation of German firms in Nigeria’s renewable power market and an elevated consciousness of Nigerian companies’ focus towards cleaner, extra sustainable power options.
The West African Clear Vitality and Setting (WACEE) Commerce Truthful & Convention organised by AHK Nigeria is a superb pattern. It came about October 8-9, 2024.
How do you foster a tradition of innovation, whereas sustaining operational stability in each international locations?
To foster innovation, we concentrate on making a tradition that encourages collaboration amongst our members and stakeholders. We usually have interaction with our members to determine rising developments, challenges, and alternatives, which helps us keep forward of the curve.
On the similar time, making certain stability means we’re considerate and strategic about implementing modifications. We prioritise pilot initiatives and incremental enhancements, permitting us to check new initiatives on a smaller scale earlier than absolutely integrating them. This strategy minimises disruptions.
An excellent instance of minimising disruptions is our strategy to membership charges. Regardless of inflation, we now have made efforts to maintain our charges steady.
How has the Chamber been capable of combine innovation in its operations?
We’ve adopted digital instruments to streamline administrative processes, making member engagement extra environment friendly and responsive. As an example, our on-line platforms now provide simpler entry to assets, occasions, and networking alternatives, enhancing the general member expertise.
Are you open to cross-functional collaborations?
Completely, we’re extremely supportive of cross-functional collaborations. We imagine that partnerships throughout totally different industries, sectors, and experience areas are important for driving innovation and development. By working with a various vary of stakeholders, from improvement companies and academic establishments to non-public enterprises and non-profits
we are able to create synergies that profit our members and the broader enterprise neighborhood. Now we have been supporting the artistic trade in Nigeria although we wouldn’t have a big illustration in our enterprise neighborhood. The general ambition behind our work on this trade, has been to rejoice successes of practitioners within the sector, and encourage enterprise. Final 12 months, our chamber partnered the United Nations Industrial Growth Group (UNIDO) alongside the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Business, Sterling One Basis and Nigeria Türkiye Enterprise Council Ltd/Gte to host Amplyfying the Sight and Sounds of Tradition Digitally: A concentrate on Girls in Artistic Arts.’ There have been two excessive degree panel discussions geared toward bettering gender equality and artistic arts in Nigeria.
Final month in partnership with Pavestones Authorized, we organised a workshop and discussions on Mental Property Rights and Worth within the artistic trade specializing in how creatives can shield and improve the worth of their belongings. As Nigeria’s artistic financial system is rapidly gaining worldwide recognition, we imagine it’s vital to coach creators on easy methods to safeguard their unique works and leverage their belongings.
Do you’ve got enterprise fashions that groom members to suppose out of the field?
“Sure, we now have simply launched our Younger Chamber Skilled Membership, to advertise programmes that encourage our younger members to suppose creatively and discover new approaches. By way of workshops, and mentorship programmes, our younger members and founders shall be inspired to interact in unconventional pondering and impressed to think about new methods of fixing issues and seizing alternatives. The Chambers Founders’ night, an occasion that brings collectively, founders and traders additionally encourages a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship amongst younger Nigerians.
What roles do knowledge and analysis play in figuring out alternatives to your members?
We conduct surveys and collect suggestions from our members to know their wants and the challenges they face. This data-driven strategy ensures that our programmes, occasions, and providers are aligned with the present enterprise local weather.
Our convention on Tax and Fiscal Incentives for Nigeria Companies and Overseas Funding in February this 12 months, featured a presentation by Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the Federation on Fiscal coverage and Tax Reforms Committee, offering our members and enterprise neighborhood a beneficial perspective in tax reform and financial incentives.
How does the Chamber preserve sturdy optimistic relationships with members?
Sustaining sturdy, cordial relationships with our members’ companies is a high precedence. We obtain this via common and open communication, making certain that we stay accessible and attentive to their wants. We prioritise visits to places of work and services to fulfill in individual with supervisors and employees to offer private interplay and construct relationships.
