By Bimbola Oyesola
Over 5,000 exhibitors from 12 countries are participating in this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair which kicked off last Friday.
Out of the 5,000 exhibitors, 3,000 arrived the fair yesterday, while others are expected to arrive within the week.
The President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the organiser of the fair, Mrs. Nike Akande, said the participants at the 31st edition of the fair, were well over what was recorded last year, an indication of the recovery of the economy.
She commended the Federal Government over its commitment to promotion of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
She noted that the programme being driven by Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council under the Chairmanship of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, will no doubt impact positively on current investment climate in the country.
“As a policy advocacy group, we will continue to offer advice, inputs and partnership on strategies and measures to facilitate the advancement of the Nigerian economy”, she said.
Akande said the theme of the fair, “promoting industrialisation for economic recovery and sustainable growth was chosen to underscore the critical importance of industrialisation in the economic recovery and diversification process.
She emphasised the need to build a sustainable economy with more focus on the non oil sector through diversification.
“The non oil sector is generally more inclusive and integrated. It is also more growth oriented, and characterised by high economic linkages, more stable and above all more sustainable.
What is paramount now is to fix the impediments to productivity and competitiveness in the economy. If we tackle these constraints we would encourage domestic investment, attract foreign capital and facilitate the realisation of the key objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).