Is The Lagos International Trade Fair Loosing Steam?

Manvic Nzekwe-

This year’s Lagos International Trade Fair organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), hitherto tagged ‘The Biggest and Best’, seems to be loosing its grip in terms of the level of exhibitors’ participation and volume of visitors.

The fair, which used to be organized at the main bowl of the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Complex, was shifted to the Lagos Trade Fair Complex along Lagos-Badagry Expressway due to inadequate space capacity at the TBS and the increasing number of participants.

However, this year’s edition witnessed a lower patronage of exhibitors and other participants when compared to previous years. While some people attributed the low turn out to the present global economic crisis, others blame the organizers for inadequate publicity of the event and the high cost of securing spaces at the fair ground.

M2 investigations reveal that while the cost of obtaining a space at the 2008 edition of the fair was N3, 100 and N4, 100 per square meter for outdoor and indoor respectively, the same sold for N6, 000 and N7, 000 this year.

Speaking on this, the Sales Manager of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of the Cowbell Milk and Top Tea brands, Mr. Emmanuel O. Ojo, revealed that although he was not in-charge at the 2008 edition, the space his company procured this year was smaller due to the hike in price. He was not alone in this plight as many other exhibitors interviewed by M2 similarly complained of cost.

Narrating his experiences at the fair, Mr. C. C Azoro, the Stand Manager of Fruitta Juice and Services Limited, manufacturers of the Fruitta juice range, complained of the high cost of acquiring space this year and revealed that his company spent N1.2 million to secure about 200 square meters. He equally complained of the poor sales, non supply of electricity and inadequate planning by the organizers. He told M2 that last year’s fair was better in comparism to the just concluded one.

The Public Relations Manager of LCCI, Mr. Tope Oluwaleye, attributed the high cost of spaces to the concession of the complex to a private operator, Aulic Nigeria Limited, by the Federal Government.

He explained that the money the Chamber used to pay to government has been increased since the private operator has to cover the cost of maintaining the complex. The resultant effect is that the Chamber now pays higher fees and that equally affects exhibitors’ fees.  He also disclosed that the Lagos State Government has provided the Chamber with another land at the Lekki area, although the present venue or TBS would still be used for subsequent fairs until the new property is developed.

On their part, visitors and participants decried the exorbitant gate fees which jumped 100 percent to N200 from N100 paid by visitors last year. The same plight confronted motorists as they where forced to pay fees at the main entrance to the complex and another gate fee to the fair ground unlike last year.

Members of the press who came to cover the event also had their share of woes as they found it difficult gaining access to the fair ground. It took the intervention of the Public Relations Manager before some where allowed entrance with their identification cards, others were not so lucky as the personnel manning the gates refused to honour their identifications.

Also, only the southern end of the gate was used as entrance which forced people to walk a long distance to the fair ground, discouraging those who could not walk far.

While the official number of exhibitors at this year’s fair is 200, more than 350 participated in the previous year which further questions if the fair is not loosing grip of its remarkable growth over the years. The decline in the number of participants may have been responsible for the pass mark accorded the organizers for crowd control and space management, in some quarters.

While China, Ghana and South Africa topped the list of foreign exhibitors last year, the 2009 edition also had China topping the foreign pavilions followed by Indonesia and Ghana. Regular participants like Germany, US and South Africa’s presence were not noticed as well as some notable local firms.