LITF 2024: Organisers target one million visitors, declare free entry

Organisers of this year’s annual Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF), the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), have said over 1 million visitors are expected at this year’s edition of the fair, thus surpassing the average of 350,000 usually recorded for the ten days, in the past.

The Chairman of Trade Promotion Board, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Prince Abimbola Olashore, disclosed this at a media briefing organised by LCCI in Lagos on Wednesday.

Olashore, who was represented by the Chamber’s Vice President, Otunba Akinbo Akin Olugbade also stated that, just like year, the gates to the fair would be flung open to allow as many visitors as possible leverage the opportunities of discounted prices, and networking, the fair usually provided.

“We believe making the entry free for all has become imperative at these trying economic times, so as to provide the opportunity for many who may want to do their Christmas shopping at the fair,” he stated.

Olashore expressed the delight that this year’s edition of the event would surpass the average record of 350,000 visitors, 3,500 exhibitors, and 15 countries participating annually, as evidenced in the expression of interests from stakeholders.

He added that the fair, tagged ‘Connecting Businesses, Creating Value’, scheduled to hold between November 1 to 10, in Lagos, this year, is expected to be declared open by the nation’s number one citizen, President Bola Tinubu.

One of the highlights of this year’s event, he stated, are the different specialised exhibitions and events, which would be held simultaneously during the 10-day period.

“This is in line with our vision to position the LITF as the Fair for all other fairs in Nigeria. Different Specialised Fairs will hold within the fair at TBS during the 10 days,” he stated.

According to him, the CHILDREN’S CORNER launched last year, to allow invited and visiting children to have splendid experience with food, drinks, music, games, and quizzes, will be bigger this year, with more children from Primary and Secondary Schools around Lagos participating.

“There will also be an opportunity for the tech enthusiasts to have their day at the LITF. As you are aware, the LITF Tech Hub is the bigger version of our legacy tech event, the ICTEL Expo and Conference which holds every July,” he added.

In his remarks, Head, SME, UBA, one of the sponsors of this year’s edition of the fair, Ajayi Babatunde, expressed the bank’s delight at the partnership, which he described as very productive in the past six years.

“The partnership provides our customers the opportunity to interact with us and our products, while also giving us the opportunity to showcase some of these products of ours to such customers,” he stated.