The 2024 Lagos International Trade Fair (LIFT) kicked off on November 1 at the historic Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, spotlighting Nigerian entrepreneurship and expanding international economic partnerships.
The fair, themed “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value,” will run until November 10, showcasing Nigeria’s business resilience and the diverse opportunities available within the Nigerian economy.
Delivering the opening address, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, praised this year’s fair as a milestone in economic cooperation.
As Nigeria adapts to economic shifts, the trade fair reflects the business community’s resilience during inflation pressures and a volatile foreign exchange landscape. Mr. Idahosa stated that the fair offers an essential platform for innovative solutions and business synergies to drive sustainable growth within Nigeria and across Africa.
Idahosa expressed appreciation for the Nigerian government’s ongoing support for the fair, noting its role in promoting local production and export. He also extended thanks to the sponsors and exhibitors who have helped the fair thrive over the years, adding that LCCI is eager to deepen these partnerships.
Participants are encouraged to engage fully with the range of opportunities at the fair. This year’s event features tailored exhibitions, including the Tech Hub, which highlights LCCI’s commitment to digital innovation, and the Africa Hall, a platform aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to support intra-African trade. Backed by the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Africa Hall provides businesses across the continent with a space to forge valuable partnerships and advance economic development.
LCCI also invites Nigerian entrepreneurs to leverage the fair’s international reach to create distributorship deals and trade agreements that can diversify and strengthen their businesses. With free entry and subsidised exhibition spaces, LCCI has made this year’s fair more accessible, creating a safe, vibrant, and inclusive experience for all attendees.
