Nigeria’s Trade Fair revival highlights investor confidence and industrial strength as the 2025 event records remarkable turnout and business deals

The Federal Government has hailed the Trade Fair revival witnessed at the 2025 Nigeria International Trade Fair as a powerful showcase of the nation’s industrial depth, investor confidence and rising ambition to dominate Africa’s manufacturing and export landscape.

Also read: Benjamin Kalu Condemns Lagos Trade Fair Demolition

Speaking at the closing ceremony in Lagos on Saturday, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, said the fair demonstrated Nigeria’s capacity to drive real economic transformation through innovation, private-sector partnerships and regional integration.

Rimi, represented by the Director of Special Duties, Aminu Dogondaji, noted that this year’s edition reflected Nigeria’s economic vigour, with strong representation from manufacturing, agribusiness, digital services, creative enterprises and renewable energy.

He described the turnout of international exhibitors and development partners as a “strong vote of confidence” that shows Nigeria remains a premier destination for legitimate investment.

He reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to strengthening the business environment and expanding platforms that promote enterprise growth, export diversification and competitiveness — all central to Nigeria’s implementation of the AfCFTA.

According to him, the government is deliberately repositioning the country as a manufacturing and export hub for the continent.

He commended the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board for its exceptional organisation, describing it as a “world-class marketplace for ideas and commerce.”

Rimi praised SMEs for their resilience, calling them the backbone of the economy.

He encouraged exhibitors to seize opportunities created during the fair and translate discussions into actionable partnerships, stressing that concrete deals and industrial collaborations remain the true measure of success.

Also speaking, the Executive Director and CEO of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board, Vera Safiya Ndanusa, said the 2025 edition achieved a dramatic full-scale revival, surpassing all targets in attendance, transactions and international participation.

She described it as the strongest outing in recent memory, noting that the scale of activities proved the fair had “been revived completely.”

Ndanusa revealed that many exhibitors sold out before the final day, while others secured more partnerships than they could immediately service.

She added that interest for early registration and digital engagement for the 2026 edition has already surged, reflecting renewed confidence in the fair’s fast-rising trajectory.

The CEO expressed gratitude to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment as well as President Bola Tinubu for creating the enabling environment that powered the event’s success. She emphasised that determined stakeholders had transformed challenges into valuable opportunities.

Also read: Lagos State Government demolishes illegal structures at Trade Fair

The 2025 Nigeria International Trade Fair attracted thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors from across the world, reaffirming Lagos’ position as a major regional centre for trade and investment — and marking a compelling Trade Fair Revival that signals a brighter economic horizon.