The National President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Jani Ibrahim, has urged African returnees worldwide to “make Nigeria their home,” describing it as the gateway to Africa and a rising hub for global cultural and economic influence.
Speaking at the grand opening of the IPADA Initiatives Celebrations 2025 at La Campagne Tropicana Forest, River and Beach Resort in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Ibrahim commended tourism icon Otunba Dr. Olawanle Akinboboye, founder of La Campagne Tropicana and the IPADA Initiatives.
He praised Akinboboye for over four decades of promoting African unity through culture, tourism, and creative expression.
He said; “In my travels around the world, it is Nigerian artistes who are mentioned first, whether in football, music or theatre, even before government or private-sector actors.
“This global recognition shows the power of our creative community.”
He encouraged returnees, guests and cultural groups from Brazil, Europe, Asia, America and across Africa to see Nigeria as a place of belonging and opportunity.
“Nigeria is home. Make it your home, because Nigeria is a gateway to Africa,” he told attendees, including traditional leaders, royalty and international dignitaries.
Ibrahim also welcomed Her Majesty Queen Aruk II, Obongawan Barrister Marie Ikpeme Erete, whom he described as a “Mother of Culture.”
The NACCIMA President reaffirmed the Association’s wider international agenda, which involves engaging the African and Nigerian diaspora not only through remittances but also through investment, skills transfer, trade partnerships and enterprise development.
Under his leadership, the organised private sector is driving stronger global business linkages, diaspora-led industrial growth and renewed efforts to unlock the creative economy as a major contributor to Nigeria’s long-term prosperity.
With more than 100 Chambers of Commerce nationwide, NACCIMA is positioning itself as a central force encouraging international returnees to see Nigeria as both a cultural home and a strategic economic base for African continental opportunities.
Ibrahim also highlighted Akinboboye’s role as Chairperson of NACCIMA’s Creative Economy Group, describing his vision as exemplary. “The creative industry remains one of Nigeria’s lowest-hanging fruits for economic growth,” he noted.
He reiterated NACCIMA’s commitment to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030, stressing that the creative sector, including music, theatre, film, culture and content production, continues to place Nigeria prominently on the global stage.
The IPADA Initiatives Celebrations 2025 assembled kings, cultural institutions and diaspora communities from multiple continents, reinforcing the message that Nigeria remains a home of heritage, identity and future possibilities for its global sons and daughters.