20TH PH Trade Fair The International Connection

The 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair has come and gone. Yet the benefits cannot be over emphasized especially with the reduced prices of affordable items and commodities by the participating companies to the public that patronize the Trade Fair for their Christmas shopping.

It is a significant economic milestone of beehive of activities for trading as companies from far and near participated in the trade fair. Equally, the trade fair attracted people from far and near to restored glorious status of the Garden City for shopping.

The International dimension of the trade fair was very attractive to investors that it opened gateway to lucrative future business opportunities not only in the state but in the entire Niger Delta Region.

The 2009 Port Harcourt International Trade Fair was jointly organised by Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) in partnership with a foremost Exhibition Management and Consulting Firm, Medallion Marketing Limited.

PHCCIMA is today the second largest and active Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria after Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, having been established in 1957 as an interest group with the overall objective of articulating business potentials in the Niger Delta Region and its environs.

However, the Chamber works and acts on behalf of businesses in Rivers State, Niger Delta Region and on a larger perspective in Nigeria.

Equally important is the fact that the Chamber fosters economic development and interacts with the legislative and executive arms of government at the State and Federal levels respectively to ensure good policy and an enabling economic environment for businesses to strive and grow are formulated and adopted.

According to Kestsy Alalibo, Director of ICT, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, while speaking to The Tide at the venue of the 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, said the chamber’s goal is to promote speedy economic growth to the smallest possible company through exposure of their businesses to the global market.

However, the chamber acts as the mouthpiece of the organised public sector, seek for better government economic policy and environmental dynamics, creating a focal point for the exchange of business ideas, advocate policies that affect the entire economy as it will benefit the generality of the welfare of the people and the nation at large. Initiate changes where necessary in the environmental management and business development services that enhance best business practices towards creating investment opportunities in order to reduce poverty in the society.

Explaining the International connection of the 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, the Director, said the International connection relates to the participation of foreign investors and their companies in the trade fair to showcase their potentials, products and services in a competitive manner with local companies and businesses in order to woo customers.

Buttressing this point, he said, M.Saleh & Co, a Generator and Heavy equipment company and other foreign companies all participated in the Port Harcourt International Trade Fair in a competitive manner.

The International connection of the 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair provides network for partnership and business relationships between the foreign companies and local companies in the overall business growth and stability of the state, Niger Delta Region and the nation’s economy.

Equally speaking to The Tide the coordinating Manager of the organizsing company of the Trade Fair, Mr. Kayode Folarin, Medallion Marketing Limited said the company is presently the Nigeria’s No I Exhibition organisation with existing Trade Fair Franchises for the organisation and management of major International and Domestic Trade Fairs in Nigeria.

He emphasized that the very essence of the international connection of the Trade Fair is to create strategic alliances and strong long term relationship with various bilateral-chambers of commerce, business interests and investors, in order to ensure robust economy in Nigeria.

Further, highlighting the benefits of the 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, the Manager added that the trade fair afforded the much needed assessment of business opportunities in the state and Niger Delta Region post the Amnesty-period. This according to him, was however, made possible through visit by foreign businessmen seeking partnership with local manufacturers and distributors during the Trade Fair.

Interestingly, the Trade Fair also afforded key manufacturers and distributors sector of the Nigeria’s economy as well as key industry players, targeted customers across all industries involved in the planning, implementation, development, joint-venture, importers, wholesalers, Agents. Traders, consumers, Business Executives Diplomats and Government officials to meet through interactive workshops to exchange ideas of moving Nigeria’s economy forward.

One of the significant benefits of the exhibition was the exposure of the various exhibitors to major agents, distributors, exporters and importers key decision makers, leading buyers, Trade Association, chambers and their members, industry leaders and influential business people with well established infrastructures and trade networks throughout Nigeria and the African sub-region.

Also, according to Gift Amangi of Radio Rivers Pavillion at the trade fair, the 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair created an opportunity for buyers engaged in various industries to look for innovative, cost effective and latest products and services.

She added that turn out this year to the 20th International Trade Fair was low, attributing the situation to the economic downturn.

Supporting such view, Chioma Onyekwere of CMTV Pavilion, added that buying was also low because of the lack of money to motivate people. But one of the benefits of the trade fair, to her, was the business contact established for the benefit of future business and potential awareness created through the trade fair.

However, the general consensus among the people of the State and Niger Delta is that the 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair has once again exposed the investment potentials of the state and the Niger Delta Region to foreign investors especially now that Amnesty has been granted by the Federal Government and security restored in the Region.

The foreign investors and other local investors can further benefit from such strategic alliance through partnership with the Rivers Investment and Promotion Council, a primary corporate body set up by the state Government to co-ordinate the development and promotion of investment in the state for the maximization of investment opportunities.

The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture under the leadership of Engr Vincent Furo, chairmanship must seek for meaningful ways to encourage inflow of foreign investment as well as protect existing ones to stimulate the expansion of the industrial capacity of the state and Niger Delta Region through frequent organisation of such International Trade Fairs in the Niger Delta Region.

Phillip-Wuwu Okparaji