Lagos Trade fair: Banks target 500,000 visitors, fete customers

At the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair  expected to attract over 500,000 visitors, Deposit Money Banks especially  FirstBank Nigeria is offering Customers a Bouquet of financial products.

This is in keeping with the tradition of stimulating the economy and encouraging bi-lateral trade relations between Nigeria and its trading partners.

In a bid to celebrate its customers, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) said it has deployed cutting-edge technology to present to customers a bouquet of its products at the 2016 Lagos International Trade Fair.

The trade fair which commenced from November 4 to 13, 2015, is expected to attract over 500,000 visitors from within and outside Nigeria including businessmen, investors, customers and representatives of Nigeria’s important trading houses and those seeking joint-venture partnerships.

This year’s edition entitled: “Positioning the Nigerian economy for diversification and sustainable growth” was formally declared open on Friday, November 4, 2016 by 10am at the main arena, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

According to the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mrs Folake Ani-Mumuney, “FirstBank remains committed to promoting trade and development in the nation and would continue to promote sustainable industrialisation of the Nigerian economy and the global economy at large’.

During the ten-day fair, the bank’s broad clientele and prospective ones will benefit from FirstBank’s famous financial advisory services, on-line-real-time banking, internet banking, Automated Teller Machine (ATM), cards products, consumer finance products and Western Union/MoneyGram services she said.

Female customers would also have an opportunity to have the advantage of on-the spot engagement and introduction to FirstGEM, the FirstBank new lifestyle solution offering for women. Over the years, the bank has broadened its product and services offerings to include agricultural finance, bills discounting, equipment leasing and mortgage finance.

The fair which is staged yearly with the support and co-operation of the federal and the state governments covers all aspects of business and economic activities in Nigeria.  It offers a unique exposition for manufacturers, suppliers, buyers and users of a wide range of goods and services as well as opportunities for investment and trade promotion.

First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank), a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, is one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa).

Why we chose this year’s theme —LCCI President

The President of LCCI, Dr Nike Akande, said that the theme: Positioning of the Nigerian Economy For Diversification and Sustainable Growth, was chosen to underscore the critical importance of economic diversification and the need to create an enabling environment to attract new investments and grow existing ones.

“The non-oil economy is generally more inclusive and integrated. It is also more growth-oriented and characterised by high economic linkages, more stable and above all sustainable,” she stated.

She revealed that the pressing and overriding challenge in the country’s diversification efforts is to fix the impediments to productivity and competitiveness in the economy.

“If we tackle these constraints we would encourage domestic investment, attract foreign capital and facilitate the realisation of the economic potential in the Nigerian economy”

Dr Akande said that the evidence of innovation, ingenuity, resilience and doggedness of Nigerian entrepreneurs abound at the trade fair, while expressing the LCCI’s determination to succeed even in the face of economic recession.

Tight security as trade fair enters second day

There was a huge security presence at the Tafawa Balewa Square, one of the three venues of this year’s trade fair as the exhibition entered the second day on Saturday.

Besides the gun-wielding policemen, manning the major entrance and exit gates of the venue, men of the Nigerian Army and other law enforcement agents were seen inside the sprawling complex, keeping their eagle eyes on happenings at the event.

As a way of ensuring free flow of traffic at the venue, men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) were also on ground to control and ease movement of vehicles around the area.