Expected gains from NEPAD Trade Fair, by govt

AHEAD of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) trade fair, Special Assistant to the President on the NEPAD, Nigeria, Ambassador Fidelia Njeze, has described it as a veritable tool for the socio-economic transformation of the continent.

Njeze said this yesterday in Abuja, while inaugurating the National Organising Committee (NOC), said the 2015 NEPAD Africa Trade Fair of indigenous products and services, would provide a platform to showcase and promote Africa’s local content.

The statement quoted Njeze as saying “Nigeria and other African countries have identified the urgent need to diversify our economy, develop local contents, and enhance the competitiveness of our products in the International market.

“The Trade Fair with the theme “Harnessing Potentials for Inclusive Regional Growth’’ would be a platform for facilitating NEPAD product certification designed to open windows of opportunities for African made products in the international export market.

“It would also create an indispensible one stop market for African made goods and services and craft a standard of regulation for ensuring that only quality products are imported and exported from Africa.

“This platform would further be an opportunity to showcase what we have in Africa and market our investment potentials while the Business and Investment Forum will encourage African businesses to network,” Njeze said in the statement signed by her chief press secretary, Mrs. Janet McDickson.

It further explained that it Africa’s huge investment potentials that would be a forum to exhibit Africa’s enormous investment potentials to the global investing community.”

Njeze added that the trade fair initiative was a product of a successful collaboration between NEPAD Nigeria, and the Africa Trade Center (ATC) with the support and approval of the Federal Government.

It listed other partners to include the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, South Africa, and the African Diaspora Chamber of Commerce, United States of America.

Contained in the statement, the fair is expected to commence with a 5-day exhibition of African made products, followed by a 2- day Business and Investment Forum on Africa, and presentations of Africa Achievement Awards.

Other highlights of the event include African movie premiere, African fashion parade and a Gallery of African Arts and Culture. Njeze urged the committee and all stakeholders to work together and efficiently to ensuring the success of the Trade Fair.

The planning committee inaugurated comprised of 25 members with Mr. Sunday Ogu, Director, Programme Developing and Implementation, NEPAD Nigeria as its Chairman.

Ogu assured that the Committee was dedicated to work together to host an event that will meet all international standards. He reiterated his confidence in the committee members drawn from relevant government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), ATC, African Diaspora Chamber of Commerce, NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, African Embassies and High Commissions.

ATC president and Vice Chairman of the committee Mr. Prince Nwaubani encouraged Members to see the assignment as a means of contributing their own quota towards Africa’s socio-economic development. He stressed the need for Africa to trade more amongst each and harness the economic benefits of its huge market for the purpose of boosting the local economy of the continent.