44th Kaduna International Trade Fair To  Open February 3

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By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON

First  Deputy President of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (KADCCIMA) and chairman, trade fair main organizing committee, Mr Ishaya Idi  has revealed that the 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair 2023 will begin on February 3, 2023.

Ishaya Idi, made the announcement during a press conference that was  held at the conference centre of the trade fair complex along Kaduna – Zaria road, where he explained that the 44th edition of the Kaduna International Trade Fair which is scheduled to hold from Friday 3rd to Sunday 12th February 2023 at the Kaduna International Trade and Investment Centre, Km 4, Kaduna – Zaria Expressway, Rigachikun, Kaduna, coincides with KADCCIMA’s  50th anniversary.

“We are hosting the 44th edition of the fair in early February 2023 and to conclude it ahead of the general elections  that is expected to start on 25th February 2023,” he said.

Idi said that, “the 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair is of special importance to us as it coincides with the 50th year’s Anniversary of KADCCIMA, Which is a  landmark event that  we hope you will all join us to celebrate.

“The theme of this year fair is,  ‘Promoting Value addition for Economic Growth and Development’.

“And we deliberately chose this theme to compliment the efforts of government in its attempt to promote the culture of value addition for industrial development and economic advancement of our country,” he explained.

Ishaya Idi revealed that thay note with great concerns, that despite abundance and quality of solid minerals, agricultural products and raw materials, Nigeria continues to lose billions of Naira annually on account of poor value addition its production and export processes. 

“As a matter of fact, focus is placed more on instant profits received from exporting raw materials to the detriment of the huge potentials for job creation and gradual achievement of prosperity derivable from industrialization anchored on robust policy on value addition, the absence of which makes Nigeria to lose out in the global market, that is going to benefit farmers in Nigeria,” he lamented.

He also gave an account, “As a result, recent global business and economic data for manufacturing value added ranks Nigeria 40th out of 153 countries with a paltry 38.32 per cent which underscores the urgent need to put in substantial and sustained efforts in rapidly growing the value addition culture.

 “it is important for local manufacturers to incorporate improved value addition into their production process in order to significantly impact the economy via job creation in the main and to reduce reliance on oil.

“We equally believe that our present level of value addition coupled with low capacity utilization will most likely push Nigeria into an unfavourable position within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), as most countries involved in the trade agreement have similar products and resources, we will, therefore, need to be innovative through a higher level of value addition to ensure effective competitiveness.”

According to the chairman main organizing committee of 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair, “it will interest you to note that as part of our preparations for the forthcoming trade fair, we establish contact with industrialists, manufacturers, producers, fabricators, distributors and marketers both within and outside the country and invited them for participation at the Africa’s most famous fair.

“We also contacted policy makers, from in and outside the country, for them to assist in marketing this historic fair.

“Federal and States Ministries of Commerce, NIPC, Trade and Investment Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant MDAs, Nigerian Missions Abroad, Foreign Missions in Nigeria, NACCIMA as well as chambers of commerce across the country etc. for them to assist in marketing the fair. 

“And furthermore, all things being equal, the trade fair will be declared open on Saturday February 4,  2023 at 10.00am by the Special Guest of Honour, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR. 

“The Kaduna State Executive Governor, Mal. Nasiru Ahmed el-Rufa’i, CON, who has been of great support and assistance to our activities, is leaving no stone unturned in the area of security in the state in order to ensure a successful and hitch-free 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair,” he declared.  

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