By Chuks Eke—
The authorities of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) have identified poor infrastructural facilities, insecurity, flooding, multiple taxation and epileptic power supply as some of the impediments militating against industrial growth and business operations in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State.
ONICCIMA also identified harassment of visitors and investors at the Onitsha Bridgehead end, limited industrial expansion, inadequate access to finance, and insufficient investment in modern logistics infrastructure as some of the bottlenecks slowing down business ventures in the commercial city.
The President of ONICCIMA, Sir Chinedu Nwonu, who disclosed this at his inaugural address and investiture as the 16th President of the Chamber in Onitsha, called on both the state government and critical stakeholders to continue ensuring the safety and security of the Onitsha business community.
Nwonu, who observed a minute’s silence for the repose of the soul of a former President of the Chamber, the late Hon. Okey Akaneme – whom he recalled was brutally murdered by those he identified as overzealous officials of a contractor working for the Anambra State Government – said: “All hands must be on deck to reposition ONICCIMA as the voice of the business community.”
Flanked by some past Presidents of the Chamber, including Mr Rob Emeka Eze, Pharm. Uchenna Apakama, Pharm. Sir Chris Ukachukwu, Chief Sir Kelvin Obieri, Chief Sir Augustine Ibeme (the outgoing President), and the Director-General, Stanley Anyadufu, Nwonu called for collective efforts to revive industrial growth, transform Onitsha into an investment destination, empower small and medium enterprises, build a modern ecosystem, develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, build strategic partnerships, among other goals.
He solicited financial support from state and local governments, serving government officials, donor agencies, financial institutions, companies, and business associations, as well as from men and women of goodwill, towards the completion of the Chamber’s gigantic permanent secretariat.
He put the required amount at about ₦50 million, having acquired the land for ₦40 million some years ago and committed over ₦20 million to the project so far.
The outgoing President of the Chamber, Sir Augustine Ibeme, who wished Nwonu, his successor, a most successful and impactful tenure, urged him to build on a solid foundation, protect the interests of the Onitsha business community, and strengthen collaboration with the Anambra Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (AACCIMA), the South East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA), and the National Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
Giving a graphic account of his stewardship during his two-year tenure spanning 2023 to 2025, Ibeme noted that his administration accorded the secretariat project top priority and accomplished the internal and external plastering of the building, installation of burglar bars, installation of aluminium windows and iron doors on the ground and first floors, completion of electrical installations, floor tiling, iron railings, plumbing and sanitary fittings, connection to the national grid through EEDC, and construction of boreholes with water tanks and submersible pumps for reliable water supply.
Three former Presidents of the Chamber – Pharm. Uchenna Apakama, Pharm. Chris Ukachukwu, and Chief Kelvin Obieri – expressed optimism that Nwonu, whom they described as a good Chamber man, would take the Chamber and the Onitsha business community to a greater height during his two-year leadership tenure.
Hon. Pat Okafor, representing Onitsha North 2 constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, and the Assistant Comptroller of Customs in charge of Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi states, Chief Paschal Paul Igwe, commended ONICCIMA for its efforts to organise businessmen and women in the commercial city of Onitsha.
Igwe, however, urged traders to avoid dealing in contraband products and to avoid false declaration of goods at the river ports.
Inaugurating the new Nwonu-led executive on behalf of the National President of NACCIMA, Dr Jani Ibrahim, the President of SECCIMA, Humphrey Ngonadi, charged the incoming ONICCIMA executive to make their leadership tenure a top‑notch one.
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, had urged the Onitsha business community to scale up their operations in order to raise enough capital for further investment expansion.
Mark Okoye, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), who was represented at the event by a member of the Commission, Barrister Sylvester Okonkwo, said the theme – “How do we secure the future of Onitsha, one of Africa’s greatest commercial cities?” – was apt, in the sense that whenever people speak about Onitsha, they often talk about its markets, energy, traders, resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
According to Okoye, “I would like to ask a different question, which is centred on whether it is enough for Onitsha to remain one of Africa’s largest markets, or whether our ambition should be much greater.”
Insisting that the future belongs to cities that produce, innovate, manufacture, export, leverage technology, attract investment and connect infrastructure with enterprise – not cities that engage only in trading – Okoye noted that since commerce built Onitsha’s reputation, competitiveness must define its future.
“Across generations,” Okoye continued, “our people have built businesses with little more than determination. We created one of the world’s most remarkable indigenous apprenticeship systems. We built industries, established markets, created wealth – not because conditions were perfect, but often despite difficult conditions.
“However, resilience should never become our development strategy. The next phase of our economic journey cannot depend solely on the extraordinary ability of our entrepreneurs to overcome structural challenges.
“Our responsibility now is to remove those challenges altogether, and that requires strong institutions, modern infrastructure, access to capital, policy coordination, and government and the private sector working not in parallel but in partnership. And this is precisely why SEDC was established.
“The Commission was not created merely to execute projects, but to help build the institutional foundations upon which the next generation of regional prosperity can stand. Our role is to coordinate regional development, prepare transformational projects, mobilise long-term investment, strengthen regional competitiveness and, above all, ensure that the South East is positioned not only to participate in the Nigerian economy but to compete successfully within the African Continental Free Trade Zone and the global marketplace.”
