Eko Expo Moves To Lekki Free Zone

This year’s Eko Expo Domestic Trade Fair will hold at the Lekki Free Zone, LFZ, says the Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce and Industry, Seye Oladejo.

“The choice of Lekki Free Zone as the venue for this year’s fair is to familiarise the business community with peculiar incentives offered by the zone and the need to invest therein,” he stated.

Speaking with newsmen at the weekend at the Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on the fair holding between 3 and 11 August, 2012, Oladejo said the fair was meant to showcase the contributions of commerce and industry to the development of the state’s economy and create a platform for the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs.

The theme of this year’s fair is Promoting Economic Growth for Mega City States: Growing the Economy.

The theme, he said, had been conceptualised to reflect the desire of the state government to attract investments that would complement its programme of infrastructure turnaround and development in the state.

“The state is replete with SMEs and as a responsive government, we are committed to the creation of the right and enabling environment or them to thrive and expand. The growth of SMEs will definitely be to create more jobs for the citizens and promote economic stability of the state.

“Their continued existence and optimal capacity utilisation guarantees the stimulation of indigenous entrepreneurship; development of local technology; mobilisation and utilisation of domestic savings; production of intermediate products for use by large scale industries and existence of healthy competition that would in turn enhance proper resource utilisation,” he said.

According to the special adviser, the fair would provide a forum for commerce and industry to show their contributions to the growth and development of Lagos State and the prospect for evolving an export-oriented economy.

He added that the fair would promote the development of cottage, SMEs; promote the export of processed and manufactured goods as a catalyst for industrial growth and promote development adaptation and use of appropriate technology in Nigeria industry.

“The fair will also promote the development and growth of engineering and technology based industries as a catalyst for industrial development. It will promote made in Nigeria goods and highlight prospects for private sector investment in Lagos State,” he stated.

Oladejo assured all intending investors of the safety of their lives and property as the fair promised to be a remarkable one, stressing that the government was determined to ensure that the right atmosphere was created for all kinds of legitimate businesses to thrive in the state.