Umuahia — The annual Aba Trade Fair would be held this year as an international trade fair and exhibition following a collaborative partnership between the Abia State Government and the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture(ACCIMA).
This means that the 20th edition of Aba trade fair would make the commercial city join the ranks of other major Nigerian cities like Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Kaduna in hosting annual international trade fairs.
Chairman of the 2024 Aba International Trade Fair, Chief Nwaka Inem, announced the new status of Aba trade fair yesterday at a press conference held at ACCIMA secretariat Aba to unveil the transformed, expanded and elevated business event.
He announced that the Aba International Trade Fair would run from November 28 to December 7, 2024 at the expansive premises of Aba Mega Mall along the Osisioma axis of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
"The 2024 Aba International Trade Fair will be significantly different from what was obtained in the previous years for the reason that this year's event has been structured as a joint undertaking between the Abia State Government and the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ACCIMA," he said.
Inem, who is also the Abia Governor's Special Adviser on Trade, Commerce and Industry, explained that government was intentional in partnering ACCIMA to make Aba start hosting an international trade fair given its status as a commercial, industrial and innovative hub.
"This is to broaden the scope, reach and impact of the trade fair for the Aba business ecosystem, and send a signal to the world that the glory of this great city as a pivotal business destination in Nigeria and across the West African region, is returning," he stated.
The organising committee chairman noted that Governor Alex Otti has demonstrated his "interest and commitment to supporting this year's trade fair" hence the joint committee was putting everything in place for successful international event.
He commended the President of ACCIMA, Mr. Geoffrey Uzoagbara, and the entire leadership of the Chamber "for their determination to partner with the state government to elevate the Aba International Trade Fair beyond what it used to be."
Otti had on June 21, 2024, through his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, inaugurated a 21-man committee drawn from ACCIMA and senior officials of government to plan and articulate the programmes of the 2024 Aba trade fair.
In the course of their deliberations and consultations with various stakeholders, the organising committee came up with the idea that making the Aba trade fair an international event would make a better economic sense.
To make good the intention of giving the trade fair "a truly international status", Inem said that invitations were sent out to consultants with experience in organising trade fairs across the world to send in their proposals."
He said that following the "proper evaluation of dozens of proposals" from consultants "detailing where they want to support the Committee to organise a first-rate event," two reputable consultants have been selected.
According to him, the consultants, Global Fairs and Exhibitions and Vivamark Communications Ltd have been chosen "to work with the Committee to put together a world class trade fair".
He said that it would feature symposia, workshops and business meetings for local and international investors.
Inem stated that the choice of date for the 2024 Aba International Trade Fair was arrived at "after due considerations which entailed looking at the dates of other important national trade fairs, while space was the
overriding factor in selecting the venue."
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He said: "The timing of this year's event is most auspicious as it has been fixed to set the tone for this year's Christmas shopping activities and give participants, including business owners and shoppers, ample time to prepare themselves for what promises to be a lifetime experience."
ACCIMA President, Geoffrey Uzoagbara in his remarks, said that "something has changed for good in terms of exposure and infrastructure in Aba since the inception of the Otti administration, adding that Aba is ripe for hosting international trade fair."
Managing Director of Global Fairs and Exhibitions, Felix Ekarika, and the representative of Vivamark Communications, Marcus Ijeoma, pledged their commitment to make the 2024 Aba International Trade Fair a huge success.
As the committee chairman put it "this year's event will be more than just a trade fair but a strategic showpiece to announce Aba's rising status as an economic powerhouse and major regional business hub."
