| Lagos
Motor Fair opens September 24, targets 200,000 visitors
By Moses Akaigwe (igwemos@sunnewsonline)
Friday, August 8, 2008
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•HONDA
ACCORD
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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As the fourth edition of the annual Lagos Motor Fair beckons,
the organizers are assuring stakeholders of increased trade
activities, better organization and larger visitor turn-out,
even as indications emerged last week that many auto companies
would be participating this year with new brands of vehicles,
including Chinese makes.
The fair is scheduled to open on Wednesday, September 24 and
close one week later, on Thursday, October 2, at a new venue,
Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS). The theme of this year’s
event, according to Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu, Managing Director of
BKG Exhibitions, the firm that organizes the fair, is :”Drive
it Your Way”.
Agwu, who addressed the Press recently on preparations towards
what he called a very huge and successful exhibition, emphasized
that the annual event is a platform for all stakeholders in
the auto industry, including manufacturers, importers, policy
makers, distributors, vehicle care products marketers, service
providers, customer’s and financial institutions who
facilitate transactions.
The BKG chief executive disclosed that a lot of efforts are
being made to create awareness about the fair, including reaching
out to potential exhibitors. He said that no fewer than 200,000
visitors are expected to visit the fair ground to see the
products on display and interact with the exhibitors. Some
of the new comers to the fair this year, Daily Sun learnt,
will be marketers of Chinese vehicles.
Reviewing the prevailing situation in the auto sector, he
said the country has all it takes to fully live up to expectation
of being the hub of the African continent’s auto market.
“The automobile industry is growing. A lot of companies
in and outside Africa are interested in Nigeria’s auto
market.
“In the next two years, Nigeria will become automobile
hub, not only in West Africa, but also in Africa,” said
Agwu.
He commended auto dealers for their contributions towards
the ongoing growth in the sector.
“The players in the industry are very determined and
proactive. Many people now drive new cars. We should thank
the dealers for reviving the auto industry, despite factors
such as bad roads, unfavourable government policies, high
bank interest rate and exchange rate.
Gradually, used cars syndrome is dwindling and everybody is
beginning to buy new cars through creative finance options.”
He argued that to make Nigeria the hub of auto business in
the next two years, there is the need to open up the market
to other African countries, adding that “this is why
the government should have regular meeting with the operators.
Government’s involvement will enhance the setting up
of needed infrastructure”
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