The 38th edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) was held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) from November 1, 2019- 10th November, 2019.
Organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the international trading platform had businessmen/women all over the world converge at Lagos State, Nigeria, Africa’s commercial hub, to carry out business transactions and showcase their goods and products to the globe on an advanced economic level.
Connect Nigeria was live at the TBS for the entire duration of the Fair and we present you with some of the major highlights from the worldwide trading platform.
Chinese and Japanese Presence
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Traders from different parts of the world were not left short of participating at the Fair, but Chinese and Japanese traders dominated the event. Traders from both countries had numerous companies grace the event and market their products to the African population alongside customers from other parts of the world. Some of these companies include Honda and Suzuki. Small and Medium enterprises from these countries also made it to the business showcase. The Chinese tenth was full to the brim as customers trooped in to purchase products that would otherwise be more expensive. The Japanese section at the Tafawa Balewa Square was equally lively, as Japanese technology was put on display.
Promotion Platform
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Entrepreneurs all over the world especially Nigerians were presented with a unique opportunity to promote their goods globally through the Trade Fair. Nigerian businessmen/women were spotted at different sections of the arena, marketing the products in their stands.
Inter-cultural Exchanges
A glimpse at multiculturalism
Businessmen/women experienced life on a different cultural scale as the Fair afforded people from different parts of the world the avenue to witness the rich African culture in Nigeria as well as introduce their culture to the world through the platform. Chinese traders had their local dishes during breakout sessions and were heard speaking Mandarin, that was also the case with other nationalities like Japan and India. For Nigerians, Pidgin English dominated proceedings as well as the three major Nigerian languages, Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba. Also, textile materials were put on display by foreign merchants as well as Nigerian merchants who showcased African rich traditional wears to the patronage of foreign traders. Through these, cultural exchanges were established during the 10-day event.
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First ‘’African Day’’ Celebration in the History of the Trade Fair
The seventh day of the event saw history made as the first celebration of Africa Day was held at the banquet hall of the Tafawa Balewa Square. The theme for the program, Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT): Trade Facilitation for Nigeria’s Export, set out to discuss ways trade between African countries must be promoted in order to boost the economic growth and development of the continent. Major economic stakeholders in Africa from groups like UBA, NEXIM, AFRIMAX, among others, delivered keynote speeches and held panel discussions.
Read more about the LITF Africa Day
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry must be applauded for successful conduct of the 38th edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair. Security was tight as military and police men were stationed at different corners of the venue. Nigerian friendliness and openness to interact with people from different parts of the globe was visible at the fair.
Featured Image Source: Ugo Chinedu
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