The Lagos International Trade Fair will soon get a permanent site different from its current makeshift location. This was disclosed by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Details: The Governor, who said he would ensure the Lagos International Trade Fair meet international standard, hoped that the decision would cut down operational challenges exhibitors face in displaying their goods.
[READ MORE: Lagos Int’ Trade Fair: Foreign exhibitors lament over border closure]
Sanwo-Olu made this declaration after inspecting some pavilions at the ongoing 2019 Lagos International Trade Fair, taking place at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.
The theme of the trade fair, which features over 2000 foreign and local exhibitors, is “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value.”
The Lagos State Governor was accompanied by President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (LCCI) Mr Babatunde Ruwase. According to the LCCI President, the trade fair was a platform for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to advertise their products.
“I am here on an on the spot assessment and going round few of the pavilions at the trade fair. As you can see, I have to come in here to encourage our MSMEs that are on display.
“This is real governance and collaborative initiative. This is an annual event, but we need to upscale it,” he said.
What you should know: The Lagos international trade fair was first held in 1977 shortly after Eko Hotels and Suites was completed. It is a yearly event organized by the Trade Promotions Board and the oldest chamber of commerce in Nigeria: the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). It is reputed to be the largest business market in the ECOWAS sub-region as it attracts investors from other parts of the world. It is a 10-day annual fair which begins on the first Friday of November.
[READ ALSO: Border closure is a threat to forthcoming Lagos Trade Fair – LCCI]
While the event has grown to be the largest trade show in sub-Saharan Africa, attracting both national and international entrepreneurs from over 1600 companies all over the world, it has also changed location twice over the last three decades.
It was initially staged at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex at Badagry Expressway, Ojo before relocating to Tafawa Balewa Square. The Lagos International Trade Fair complex is a hexagonal shaped exhibition hall covered with space roof elements and shading panels, which formed a new trend in architectural innovation of its time over the years.
