Cynthia Ezegwu
The Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Giessen-Friedberg, Germany, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening economic cooperation and vocational training partnerships with Nigeria to boost youth employment, entrepreneurship, and industrial growth.
The Chamber’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Matthias Leder, disclosed this in a statement on Friday ahead of a two-week working visit to Nigeria scheduled for November 2–14.
Leder said the visit would feature strategic meetings with top government officials and private sector leaders to consolidate existing collaborations and explore new opportunities for partnership.
He noted that the Chamber’s engagement with Nigeria, which began in 2005, has focused on strengthening institutional capacity, promoting dual vocational training, and supporting private-sector-led development.
“Since 2005, IHK Giessen-Friedberg has worked closely with Nigerian chambers and associations to expand the quality and reach of vocational training, resulting in measurable impacts on youth employment, technical education, and business competitiveness,” Leder said.
He highlighted the Chamber’s partnerships with key Nigerian institutions, including the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian-German Business Association, and the Ogun Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.
According to him, the relationship between both countries has grown stronger in recent years, with Nigeria’s former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, playing a pivotal role in advancing the cooperation.
“The November mission will feature engagements with several ministries, including Labour and Employment; Youth Development; Education; Budget and Economic Planning; Industry, Trade and Investment; and Foreign Affairs,” he added.
Leder said the delegation would focus on expanding Germany’s dual vocational training model—combining practical apprenticeship with classroom learning—and adapting it to Nigeria’s economic environment.
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He explained that empowering Nigerian chambers to organise training, conduct examinations, and ensure quality standards comparable to Germany’s system would help sustain the model locally.
He listed the benefits of the partnership to include reduced youth unemployment, improved technical skills, higher productivity, and greater social stability.
The upcoming mission will also explore emerging areas of collaboration such as green industry development, energy transition, youth entrepreneurship, and technology transfer.
Leder emphasised that the IHK Giessen-Friedberg, one of Germany’s most active regional chambers, has conducted at least two official missions to Nigeria annually in recent years, supported by Germany’s global skills and investment diplomacy agenda.
“Our partnership with Nigeria has proven that when industry, government, and institutions collaborate, the results go beyond trade—they strengthen human capital and create lasting prosperity,” Leder said.