LCCI hopeful of foreign exhibitors’ participation as fair commences

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed optimism that the 35th edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) would attract many foreign exhibitors, even as the Presidential screening steering committee has announced that fully vaccinated foreigners can come into the country without being quarantined.

The Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, LCCI, Gabriel Idahosa, stated this on the sidelines of its official unveiling of the 2021 LITF in Lagos.

He said: “Until about two weeks ago, the outlook for international visitors was doubtful, but you will recall that the Presidential screening steering community announced that fully vaccinated people can now come into Nigeria without quarantine.

“Business visitors can actually come in when they are fully vaccinated. This policy has opened the way for foreign investors and as we speak about 16 countries have booked and paid for their spaces.

“As far as that is concerned, the outlook is looking very good compared to last year when the pandemic first struck.”

He said a medium-term agreement beneficial to the Nigerian economy had already been signed.

He listed some of the benefits of the agreement to include massive training and technological transfer, direct manpower development across the automobile and manufacturing value chains.

“Already, over 10,000 Nigerians are being trained due to this development and GREE will be delighting exhibitors and visitors with special trade fair products and services beginning from now and throughout the 10-day period of the Fair,” he said.

Idahosa added that Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Bank of Industry, TGI DISTRI, FEDAN investment limited and Lifemate furniture take center stages as official partners under various categories at LITF.

“We also are pleased to inform you of the Africa Hall initiative which hosts businesses across Africa 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 and the LITF platform is a great opportunity to do this.

“Therefore, in further pursuit of this objective, we will have the Africa Special Day at the fair this year,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Choice International Group, (CIG), the parent company of GREE Electric Appliances, Diana Chen, unveiled a strategic partnership it signed with the chamber to boost Nigeria’s industrialisation capacity.

Chen also revealed that CIG had begun building a world-class GAC Motors assembly plant in Lagos, an initiative whose first phase would be completed in 2022.

She said the partnership with the LCCI would engender investors’ confidence, further drive Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda, create jobs and boost the technical know-how of citizens.

She added that the LITF would serve as a critical springboard for the country’s bounce back from the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“This partnership would also boost Nigeria’s trade, commerce and industry. Our group is committed to providing first class pre-sales and after-sales services to manufactured electric products,” she said.