Gov. Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State on Sunday expressed the commitment of his administration to creating robust environment for businesses to thrive.

Ambode made the pledge during the Lagos State Special Day at the Lagos International Trade Fair at Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tunji Bello, said that Lagos had been in the forefront of promoting the growth of Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

According to him, Lagos State holds the key to commerce in Nigeria and has created the Office of Overseas Affairs to interface with investors willing to do business in it.

Ambode said that in the bid to ease the speed and convenience of doing business in the state, the government had embarked on reconstruction of about 114 roads in the state.

He said that maintenance works on other roads were being carried out too.

On security, the governor said that the security agents were being empowered with gadgets and materials to support them in their activities.

He said that the Lekki Free Trade Zone was now a reality and that it had been repositioned to boost business activities in the state.

Mr Rotimi Ogunleye, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, said that the ministry had leveraged on the fair to promote MSMEs.

According to him, the Lagos State government is at the fore front of training and building capacity for MSMEs to thrive and expand their businesses.

Ogunleye said that through the fair, warehouses of the MSMEs in the state had been emptied as a result of sales recorded through exposure of the fair.

The fair, which ends on Sunday, has the theme: ‘Enhancing Value Addition in the Non-Oil Economy.’ (NAN

•Photo shows Governor Ambode.