Visitors to the year’s Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) can now heave a sigh of security as organisers  have  declared this year’s edition a free entry, thereby saving visitors the financial burden of having to pay at the gate before entering.

 

 

 

The Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Prince Abimbola Olashore,  while speaking at a media briefing organised by  the Chamber, in Lagos,  recently, also assured visitors and exhibitors that adequate security has been put in place to make the ten-day event hitch-free.

 

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Olashore, who was represented at the briefing by the Chamber’s Vice President, Otunba Akinbo Akin- Olugbade, stated that over 1million visitors are expected at this year’s edition of the fair, representing the average of 350,000,  usually recorded  at past editions of the fair.

 

 

He explained that the decision to throw the gates open is  to allow as many visitors as possible leverage the opportunities of discounted prices, and networking, the fair usually provided.

 

 

Besides encouraging more participation, he expressed the belief  that the free entry policy would also go a long way in encouraging those who  had always stayed away in the past, due to the fee they and their family members would have to pay at the gate before entry.

 

 

“We believe making the entry free for all has become imperative at these trying economic times, so as to provide the opportunity for many who may want to do their Christmas shopping at the fair,” he stated.

 

 

Olashore expressed the delight that this year’s edition of the event would surpass the average record of 350,000 visitors, 3,500 exhibitors, and 15 countries participating annually, as evidenced in the expression of interests from  stakeholders.

 

 

He added that the fair, tagged ‘Connecting Businesses, Creating Value’, scheduled to hold between November 1 to 10, in Lagos, this year, is expected to be declared open by the nation’s number one citizen, President Bola Tinubu.

 

 

Some  of the highlights of the forthcoming event, he stated, are the different specialized exhibitions and events, which would be holding simultaneously during the 10- day period.

 

 

In his remarks, Head, SME, UBA, one of the sponsors of this year’s edition of the fair, Ajayi Babatunde, expressed the bank’s delight at the partnership, which he described as very productive in the past six years.

 

 

“The partnership provides our customers the opportunity to interact with us and our products, while also giving us the opportunity to showcase some of these products of ours  to such customers,” he stated.