Organisers of the just concluded Nigeria’s Centenary Trade Fair in Abuja on Thursday said that the current security challenges in some northern parts of the country had negative effect on the fair.
Mr Joe Wenegieme, the Director General of Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA), disc losede this in an interview with newsmen at the end of the 13-day event.
Wenegieme said that most states from the south were not represented at the fair probably because of fear associated with the current security situation in the region.
“Frankly, I am surprised about the fact that most of the states in attendance were northern states.
“It is probably because of the present security challenges in the north that states from the south, but it is our hope that they would be here with us in the next few months during our international trade fair.”
Newsmen reports that the special fair, which was organised by the chamber to celebrate the country’s centenary anniversary, witnessed low turnout of visitors.
Although invitation was extended to all the states of the federation, only some states from the north were officially represented at the event and these are Kogi, Adamawa, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna and Kano.
However,  some private businesses and federal universities from the south such as the University of Benin, University of Uyo and the University of Ado Ekiti, participated in the special event.
Meanwhile, exhibitors at the fair have advised the organisers to give priority attention to publicity in their future fairs.
One of them, Mr Michael Olaseinde, attributed the low turnout of visitors at the fair to inadequate publicity by the organisers.
“Many residents of Abuja, even those living close to this place, do not know that a trade fair is taking place here.
“This is because the organisers didn’t do much to inform the public about it.’’
Another exhibitor, Mr Godwin Okoh, spoke in similar vein, describing the level of turnout by members of the public as below average.
“If there was enough publicity, I am very sure the turnout would have been much higher than this, but all the same, we thank God.’’
Reacting to the complaints, the ABUCCIMA official said  that the chamber did all it had to do in terms of publicity and public enlightenment.
“We paid for jingles in virtually all the FM stations in Abuja and even beyond, including Wazobia FM Lagos.
“We placed adverts in the papers, circulated flyers, displayed our banners in strategic locations within the FCT and then of course we had two vehicles that we engaged in road shows.
“So, as far as we are concerned, we left no stone unturned to get the people informed about the fair,’’ Wenegieme said.