The 2025 Lagos International Trade Fair has opened with a call for stronger investment partnerships to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential and deepen regional trade integration.
The call was made by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the opening ceremony of the fair.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, described the fair as “a marketplace of ideas, a theatre of innovation, and a crucible for partnerships,” urging investors to seize Lagos’s vast opportunities in manufacturing, technology, and services.
“Lagos is not just a city—it’s a living economy. When you invest here, you invest in 23 million dreamers and doers. You invest in a government committed to building systems, not shortcuts, and institutions, not improvisations,” he said.
The governor highlighted Lagos’s economic importance, noting that the state contributes about 30 percent of Nigeria’s GDP and generates more than half of the nation’s non-oil revenue.
With a GDP of $259.75 billion in 2023, Lagos now ranks as Africa’s second-largest city economy.
Sanwo-Olu outlined several ongoing reforms and infrastructure projects, including the expansion of the Blue and Red Rail Lines, upgrades to key arterial roads, and the near completion of 3,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cabling to boost digital trade and connectivity.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), describing them as “the lifeblood of our economy.”
“Through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and partnerships with commercial banks, over 50,000 SMEs have received financial and technical support within two years”, he said.
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The governor further disclosed that Lagos recently sponsored 20 small businesses to the Intra-African Trade Fair in Algeria, where they “sold out and gained international visibility.”
Sanwo-Olu announced that Lagos, with support from the Federal Government, had secured the hosting rights for the Continental Trade Fair in 2027.
Opportunity for local entrepreneurs
In his welcome address, the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr Gabriel Idahosa, said this year’s edition—held under the theme “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value”—would host over 2,000 exhibitors from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and attract around 500,000 visitors over ten days.
“This fair is a beacon of opportunity and a platform for resilience-driven solutions,” Idahosa said.
“It reflects our shared goal of economic cooperation and sustainable development.”
He revealed that the setup phase of the event had already injected ₦250 million into the local economy and created 280 jobs for artisans.
This year’s fair features multiple exhibition segments, including a Tech Hub for digital innovation and an Africa Hall supported by Afreximbank to promote intra-African trade under the AfCFTA framework.
Idahosa also lauded the participation of China’s United Asia International Exhibition Co. and Japan’s JETRO, which brought over 200 exhibitors to Lagos.
He urged local entrepreneurs to use the fair as a platform to secure global distribution and partnership deals.
Distinguished guests at the opening ceremony included Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu (represented by Ambassador Ferdinand Nwoye); ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr Kalilou Sylla; Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Wamkele Mene; and Japan’s Ambassador-Designate to Nigeria, Mr Suzuki Hideo, among others.
All dignitaries commended the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its efforts and reaffirmed their institutions’ support for deepening economic cooperation and trade development across Africa.