Over 90 foreign companies from 10 countries are participating in this year’s Nigeria’s 4 in 1 International Trade Expo, which holds in Lagos from July 13 to 15, 2017.
According to the organiser, Elan Expo, it is the second edition of the International Trade Fair attended by 70 companies from across the globe last year.
The organiser who said it would boost the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Nigeria explained that the country was chosen due to the high demand of investors who consider the country as an emerging market despite the present economic challenges in the country
The General Manager of Elan Expo, Nihat Suer Ay, noted that over 50 per cent of the investors who participated at the maiden edition have registered for this year’s event.
“Many of the foreign investors that participated in the maiden edition are coming back this year because they’ve already found partners in the country,” he said, explaining that the purpose of the trade expo was to provide opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs to meet international partners as well as seek collaboration with foreign companies, which will enable further expansion of Nigeria’s economy across the West African coast.
He listed countries already registered for the expo to include Germany, USA, Turkey, Ukraine, China, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Iran and Dubai.
Besides the foreign participants, several local manufacturers in the four core sectors of the expo this year, including agriculture, household items, beauty products and heating/refrigeration are equally participating to expand their scope.
Suer Ay said the Federal Government, through its new economic policy on the ease of doing business would be at the event particularly to reassure the foreign participants of its commitment to support them.
“All over the world, exhibitions are organised not only for sales but to provide an opportunity for manufacturers to interface with both existing and potential customers. This year, we are expecting over 5,000 visitors as well as 6,000 professionals and policy makers that will participate in the technical workshop and other specialised programmes.”
Suer Ay, however, said the expo would place more emphasis on promotion of the cooling sector because of its global importance as it is central to construction, which is the second biggest after oil and gas.