The 39th edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair has officially opened at the Tafawa Balewa Square, with President Bola Tinubu represented by the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, John Owan Eno. The event, themed “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value,” is expected to attract over 500,000 visitors and feature more than 2,000 exhibitors from across Africa and beyond.
In his remarks, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gabriel Idahosa, said the chamber has maintained free entry for participants since 2022. He described the fair as a key platform for fostering economic cooperation and attracting investment, while noting the participation of representatives from ECOWAS, the African Union, and several international trade organisations.
Executive Vice President of Afreximbank, represented by Alex Mbogwe, called for an increase in intra-African trade, which currently stands at 20 percent. He highlighted Afreximbank’s collaboration with the African Union and AfCFTA in creating an Intra-African Trade Fair that has already generated deals worth over $48 billion.
Radio Now’s George Onuorah reports that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, represented by Ambassador Ferdinand Nwoye, praised ECOWAS for 50 years of promoting regional integration. She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable economic growth.
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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment Mrs. Folashade Kaosarat Bada Ambrose, while welcoming all participants to the fair, said over 50,000 small businesses have received government support in the past five years.
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