By OLUWATOPE LAWANSON/SOLOMON ASOWATA

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday declared the 2021 Lagos International Trade Fair closed, assuring investors of improved business climate to make the state Africa’s model city by 2025.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 35th Edition of the fair which began on Nov. 5 at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, had as its theme: “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value.”

About 1,500 exhibitors from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt and China participated in the fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, assured members of the business community that his administration was committed to improving the business environment towards making it more attractive to investment.

“We have also not relented in our efforts in the areas of ensuring improved power supply and enhanced internet connectivity which is a major component of the smart city project.

“I will not fail to mention the massive investment in stepping up the capacity of our security architecture which has ensured that Lagos State remains one of the safest states in Nigeria.

“We shall continue to place high priority on key infrastructure that would make our state safe, secure, functional and productive as an impetus towards achieving a sustainable economic growth through highly-motivated and vibrant private-sector participation,” he said.

Also, Mrs Lola Akande, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, said the government would continue to partner LCCI for the success and sustenance of the annual event.

Akande said the government’s participation in the fair was one of the many ways it was promoting and supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs) in the state.

“Lagos State is one of Nigeria’s most endowed economies and has a lot of business opportunities with a vast high-skilled pool of human resources.

“With the economic situation of our country today, it is imperative that government and small entrepreneurial and innovation-driven businesses buckle up by growing and sustaining an economy,” she said.

Akande said the government was taking giant strides to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship development and business prosperity.

According to her, its focus is on development of physical infrastructure and other business support processes to enhance economic competitiveness and productivity of small enterprises in the state.

In her remark, Mrs Toki Mabogunje, President, LCCI, urged the government at all levels to continue to address the issues of infrastructure, insecurity, and right policies.

“We need to do these for the diversification of our economy in order to fully harness the huge enterprising resource of our people, ” she said. (NAN)

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