Over 350 corporate organisations from Nigeria, Japan, China, India, Ghana, Cote’ d’Ivoire and Cameroon are expected to participate in the Enugu State Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture Trade Fair slated for March 2017.
Ogochukwu Chime, president, Enugu State Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, who disclosed this during an interactive session with Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of Science and Technology, explained that about one million participants are expected at the Trade Fair with the theme: ‘Promoting Nigeria’s industrial sector and SMEs for inclusive and robust economy.’
The fair, which is expected to be declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari, was aimed at consolidating the efforts toward enhancing new products and prototypes of innovations and research findings for commercialisation.
“The idea is to boost technological advancement by bringing researchers, business people and industrialists together. This remains one of the core focal points and cutting edge of the Enugu International Trade Fair,” Chime said, adding, “We have introduced so many innovations to make this year’s Fair very meaningful and beneficial to all stakeholders.”
He stressed that the present economic challenges provide a great opportunity for both local and foreign investors to have a meeting point to network and find common grounds to invest in the Nigerian economy.
According to him, the Fair would provide an amiable platform on the issue of diversification of the nation’s economy through the promotion of the industrial sectors and SMEs.
Responding, Ogbonnaya Onu reiterated Federal Government’s resolve to use science and technology to take Nigeria to a greater height.
Assuring ECCIMA of the Ministry’s support, he noted that the one reason to explain Nigeria’s dependent on import is due to the failure to accord priority to the development of science and technology.
“We would be asking our agencies to participate because it would help us to know what is happening not just in the South East, but also from the outside world.
“We also want to let Nigerians know through this courtesy visit that FMST is planning a technology and innovation expo which would be the first of its kind because so many things would be integrated as you would only see innovations and research findings that have gotten to a level where they can be commercialized.
“We want to send a message to the world that Nigeria is ready to join the rest of the world in the area of innovation as we have lagged behind over a few centuries by not ascribing much importance to science and technology, as the development of our country was not based on science and technology,” he said.
The Minister expressed optimism in the capacity of Nigeria as a country to produce and export various agricultural products to other countries as it is the only way of strengthening the economy and naira.
“The high exchange rate arises from the fact that we are putting pressure on foreign exchange in order to buy many of our needs. If we produce those things here, then we would have less pressure on the naira. Nigeria has less pressure on their currency because they export more and they develop their infrastructure and also train their people,” he said.
Business Day
