The Nigerian Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, has urged Nigerian businesses to transform trade fairs into platforms for securing buyers, investments and strategic partnerships, stressing that the true success of exhibitions lies in the transactions they generate afterwards.
Dr Oduwole made the call while speaking at the opening of the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
She said trade fairs must move beyond exhibitions and provide practical connections between businesses, buyers, manufacturers, investors and markets, particularly as Nigerian enterprises seek to compete within regional and global value chains.
“A trade fair must ultimately be about transactions, It must connect businesses to buyers. It must connect manufacturers to markets. It must connect entrepreneurs to finance and investors and it must give Nigerian businesses greater visibility and stronger pathways into domestic, regional and global value chains,” she said.
Oduwole said the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was focused on creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, while ensuring that the private sector remained the engine of economic growth.
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“Our objective at the Federal Ministry of Industry and Investment is clear, to build an economy in which enterprise can thrive, investment can move more efficiently and Nigerian businesses can compete successfully at home and internationally,” she emphasised.
“We cannot build the one trillion dollar economy, a productive economy that Nigeria needs from government offices alone. We listen to businesses, we understand where the frictions exist and we’re working together to remove them,” Oduwole said.
On regional trade, Oduwole said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) had expanded the potential market for Nigerian businesses, but stressed that enterprises must meet required standards, understand target markets and improve the efficiency of moving goods and services.
Oduwole also invited businesses, investors, creators and partners to the CanEx Weekend 2026 scheduled for November 5–8 in Lagos, describing the creative economy as an increasingly important component of Africa’s services economy and an opportunity for Nigerian talent and enterprises to access global markets.
Improve Business Environment
Speaking, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr Jani Ibrahim called for stronger measures to improve Nigeria’s business environment, reduce transactional costs and expand access to finance as part of efforts to build a more resilient economy.
Mr Ibrahim who was represented by the Director NACCIMA, Dr. Emmanuel Ake said while recent economic reforms had produced encouraging developments, government and other stakeholders must consolidate the gains and address persistent constraints affecting businesses, including high input costs, logistics challenges, financing and market uncertainties.
He stressed that economic resilience should not be assessed solely through macroeconomic indicators, but by the ability of businesses to survive, expand, invest, create jobs and compete effectively in domestic and international markets.
Also, the President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Emeka Obegolu called for greater harmonisation of taxes, rates, fees and levies across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to reduce the burden of multiple taxation and create a more business-friendly environment.
While acknowledging the responsibility of government at different levels to generate revenue and provide services, the ACCI president stressed the need for greater coordination and transparency in the administration of taxes and levies.
Obegolu also called for continuous consultation between government and the private sector, improved infrastructure, easier access to affordable finance, simplified trade procedures and stronger support for local manufacturing and export-oriented businesses.
