LCCI to Boost Intra-Africa Trade with Lagos International Trade Fair

Dike Onwuamaeze and Gilbert Ekugbe
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has declared that it would use the 35th edition of its annual Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF), to boost intra-African trade.

The chamber also announced that this year’s trade fair, which would hold between November 5 and November 14, 2021, at the Tafawa Belewa Square, Lagos, would attract more than 200,000 visitors and 1,500 exhibitors from 16 countries.

The Chairman of the LCCI Trade Promotion Board, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, disclosed these at a press conference to announce the staging of this year’s trade fair.

Idahosa said: “I am pleased to inform you of our plans to host African businessmen and women in the “Africa Hall.

“The objective of the hall is to bring exhibitors from all African countries under the same umbrella to showcase their goods, services, arts, crafts, regulatory services and particularly to promote Intra-African Trade.

“We believe that Africans must grow trade and investment among themselves to give full activation of the AfCFTA. The LITF platform is a great opportunity to do this. In further pursuit of this objective, we will have the Africa Special Dayat the fair this year. Investment and trade promotion agencies of some African countries have shown interest in this.”

He also said that participants could book online while noise control and added that unwarranted noise would be eliminated in order to make the fair convenient for exhibitors and visitors.

Some of the highlights of the fair, according to him, would include special days that would give exclusive opportunity to enlighten a choice audience with investment opportunities, unveiling of products and services and cultural display.

He said: “We are particularly impressed with the current facelift given to the loading bays around the Fair venue. With this, our collaboration with various public-sector organizations in various key areas to improve exhibitors’ and visitors’ experiences will no doubt produce improved results.”