New CONSCCIMA President Vows to Drive Northern Economic Transformation

From Paul Orude, Bauchi

The newly elected President of the Coalition of Northern States Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA), Alhaji Ahmed Ashemi, has pledged to pursue policies aimed at transforming Northern Nigeria’s economic potential into sustainable growth, jobs and investment.

Ashemi made the commitment on Friday in his acceptance speech at the 42nd Annual General Meeting of CONSCCIMA held at the International Conference Centre, Bauchi.

He said his election was a call to service, stressing that CONSCCIMA must remain the voice of businesses across the North and a strong platform for policy advocacy and inclusive economic development.

According to him, the region faces major challenges, including insecurity affecting trade routes, infrastructure deficits, limited access to finance for MSMEs, disrupted value chains and weak competitiveness of Northern businesses.

He said his administration would focus on four key pillars, beginning with advocacy and policy engagement, through closer collaboration with federal and state governments to ensure that policies on agriculture, mining, trade and industry reflect the realities and potentials of the North.

Governor Bala Mohammed charged the new CONSCCIMA leadership to make the organisation a stronger bridge between government and the private sector, investors and viable opportunities, entrepreneurs and finance, as well as Northern producers and national and international markets.

He urged the leadership to promote regional cooperation among Northern states, stressing that the region could not achieve sustainable economic transformation if states continued to pursue development in isolation. 

Mohammed called for greater collaboration in agriculture, industry, trade, infrastructure and investment.

The Governor, who was represented by the Chief of Staff Alhaji Hashimu Yakubu  Kumbala , also tasked CONSCCIMA with advocating policies that would enable businesses to thrive, while supporting industrialisation, value addition, innovation, access to finance, affordable energy and modern technology. 

He stressed that the North must move beyond exporting raw materials to processing, manufacturing, innovating and producing competitive goods for Nigerian, African and global markets.

He further urged the new leadership to ensure that the concerns of businesses were translated into constructive policy engagement and measurable outcomes, assuring that government would provide security, infrastructure, sound policies and an enabling environment, while the private sector contributes capital, enterprise, innovation, efficiency and employment

Earlier, the host President of the Bauchi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA), Hon. Aminu Mohammed Danmaliki, had urged Northern business stakeholders to move beyond meetings and communiqués and develop practical strategies for economic transformation.

Danmaliki identified poverty, insecurity, unemployment, declining agricultural productivity, weak industrial development and business closures as major challenges confronting the region.

He said the North’s problem was not a lack of resources but the inability to organise, process and convert its land, minerals, livestock and human potential into sustainable economic opportunities.

He called for a Northern Economic and Industrial Master Plan, greater agro-industrialisation, improved access to finance, youth and women empowerment, stronger regional trade and investment promotion.

Danmaliki also urged CONSCCIMA to measure its success by tangible outcomes, including businesses assisted to access finance, industries revived, investments generated and jobs created.

He said the Bauchi AGM should mark a transition “from lamentation to action” and from dependence on raw materials to industrialisation and regional cooperation.