The Lagos State Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to supercharge grassroots commerce and broaden economic participation with the launch of a major new trade fair. The initiative, named the Lagos Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) Exclusive and Eko Round City Trade Fair 1.0, is designed as a district-wide commercial showcase.
A Strategic Evolution for Greater Impact
Speaking at a press briefing in Ikeja, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada-Ambrose, framed the event as a pivotal evolution. She explained that it builds upon the former Eko MSMEs Exclusive Trade Fair, transforming it into a more inclusive and expansive city-wide event. Bada-Ambrose described the fair as a “celebration of enterprise, resilience, creativity and community.”
She underscored the critical role of MSMEs, noting they constitute 96% of businesses in Nigeria and are massive contributors to employment and GDP. Lagos State, she emphasized, reflects this national reality with even greater intensity, with small businesses being the engine of the state's dominant productivity.
Pillars and Participation of the Week-Long Event
The fair is scheduled to run for a full week, from December 8 to 14, 2025, at the National Stadium in Surulere. It is being organized by the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment in partnership with local councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) within the Lagos Central Senatorial District.
Participating councils and their LCDAs include:
- Surulere (with Yaba, Coker-Aguda, Itire-Ikate LCDAs)
- Lagos Island (with Lagos Island East LCDA)
- Lagos Mainland
- Eti-Osa (with Ikoyi-Obalende, Eti-Osa East, Iru-Victoria Island LCDAs)
- Apapa (with Apapa-Iganmu LCDA)
The Commissioner outlined that the fair is constructed on five foundational pillars:
- Creating an inclusive marketplace for artisans, traders, and informal-sector operators.
- Promoting capacity building via business clinics, workshops, and mentorship.
- Strengthening collaboration between Local Government Areas and bridging the formal and informal sectors.
- Providing family-friendly spaces, including a children’s area.
- Stimulating grassroots economic growth by generating jobs and improving market access.
Beyond the Fair: A Long-Term Platform for Growth
The event will feature extensive exhibitions from MSMEs across diverse sectors such as fashion, food processing, home décor, crafts, services, and technology. Concurrently, there will be educational sessions covering financial literacy, digital marketing, product standards, business registration, and access to credit.
Bada-Ambrose stressed that the fair is intended to be more than a one-off event. It is envisioned as the start of a long-term platform to support MSMEs, with future plans including a comprehensive state MSME database, continuous business clinics, and enhanced support for accessing both local and international markets.
Fair Coordinator, Ògbóni Fouad Oki, projected that the event will attract over 3,000 participants, including artisans, fashion designers, food vendors, and tech service providers. Expressing support on behalf of the participating councils, the Chairman of Surulere Local Council, Yusuf Suleiman, praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for backing the initiative. He stated that the fair would open new doors of opportunity for MSMEs and significantly strengthen grassroots economic activity across the district.
