Lagos will host political and business leaders as the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce marks 65 years and inaugurates its 20th president
Lagos is set to host a major gathering of political and business leaders as the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) celebrates its 65th anniversary and inaugurates its 20th president, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, on April 12, 2025.
The high-profile event will take place at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Themed “The Power of Co-Operation: 65 Years of Optimizing Nigerian-American Economic Relations,” the landmark gala will reflect on the Chamber’s role in promoting bilateral trade and investment relations between Nigeria and the United States.
The celebration will also feature the unveiling of the proposed NACC multi-storey headquarters building and the induction of fifty-two new members into the Chamber.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State will serve as the chief host of the day and will also be honoured alongside other notable personalities, including Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Senator Barau Jibrin, Governor Uba Sani, Governor Dauda Lawal, Governor Umo Eno, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Hon. Hannatu Musa Musawa, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and Dr. John Momoh, among others.
Distinguished individuals and brands will be recognised for their contributions to the Nigerian-American business community. Among the awardees are His Excellency Americo D’Oliveira Dos Ramos, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, Prince Arthur Eze, and Chief Pius Akinyelure.
The Chamber will also honour, posthumously, the late Ambassador Walter Carrington, former United States Ambassador to Nigeria; the late Mr. Richard Kramer, founder and CEO of African Capital Alliance Limited; and the late Mr. Sylvester Turner, the 62nd Mayor of Houston, Texas.
The event’s special guest of honour is His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with His Royal Highness Malam Dr. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, Emir of Zazzau as the royal father of the day. The occasion will be shared by Mr. Samaila Zubairu, President of the Africa Finance Corporation.
Also to be recognised are outstanding Nigerian and American companies, alongside former presidents of the Chamber, whose work has advanced economic growth and bilateral trade relations.
Corporate supporters of the gala include Mainstream Energy Solutions, Zenith Carex, FastCredit, The CocaCola Company, Flour Mills Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC, PWC, Turkish Airline, Lagos Continental Hotel, EightMedical, FortuneGlobal and Zenith Bank.
Media partners include Channels TV, BusinessDay, Studio24, TheCable, Naija Times, Lagos Post, and Freelanews.
The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce has, for over six decades, served as a premier platform for business development, networking, and strategic trade cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
The 20th presidential inauguration gala will serve as both a celebration of legacy and a launchpad for a new era of visionary leadership and economic collaboration.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.