More than 1,000 contractors are participating in the bids for 12 projects advertised by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
The corporation has opened the bids to pre-qualify the contractors for the 2018 projects.
Mr Ben Iloanusi, the NRC Director of Procurement, told newsmen during pre-qualification exercise at the NRC headquarters, Ebute Meta, Lagos, Wednesday.
Iloanusi said about 1,000 submissions were received across the various categories.
“The projects numbering 12 as advertised recently by the corporation in some national dailies attracted over 1,000 companies.
“The projects included emergency repair and maintenance of tracks, bridges and culvert, renovation.
“Also inclusive are upgrade of railway stations nationwide, procurement of locomotives, coaches, wagons, railway inspection vehicles and cranes, rehabilitation of locomotives and coaches.
“Others are procurement, rehabilitation and installation of equipment for mechanical, electrical, security, printing and ICT facilities; procurement of rolling stock consumables and spare parts and provision of insurance services,” he said.
The director further disclosed that the exercise may be concluded by the end of October as the procurement team had been directed to conclude the evaluation process in one month.
Mr Niyi Ali, the Director of Operationa, promised that the process would be transparent, saying the corporation will be fair to all in the pre-qualification and selection stages.
Our source reports that about N12 billion was approved by the Federal Government for the corporation’s projects in the 2018 budget.
Representatives of the various companies were on ground as the team verified the documents submitted by them amid tight security.
International Trade Fair slated for Sept. 26 to Oct. 7.
Mrs Tonia Shoyele, the Director-General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), made the disclosure at a news conference in Abuja.
The theme of the fair is “Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Agribusiness through Innovative Technology’’.
“There are about 43 countries coming in, 11 embassies will be attending the fair, all the states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will also be present,’’ Shoyele said.
She said that trade fair would bring together more than one million visitors with about 1,500 exhibitors across all the sectors of the economy.
Shoyele said that exhibitors would have an ample opportunity to showcase and promote their brands to a captive audience of decision makers, which would in turn increase their market share.
According to her, it will be an opportunity for manufactures to interact with product end users, handle customer complaints and reward brand loyalists.
She said that this year’s edition would provide a platform for sharing of trade, investment and market opportunities and information and would help buyers and sellers, investors and countries to foster business relationship.
Shoyele said that the objective of the fairs was to promote all aspects of the economy through national and international cooperation and promote made in Nigeria products.
She said it would create conducive trade atmosphere between Nigeria and other countries for the actualisation of joint venture projects.
“Other objectives are to form partnership with international investors and also create opportunity to acquire latest updates in the global market,’’ Shoyele said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the past, exhibitors complained of middlemen that would buy more than 10 exhibition stands and sell to them at an exorbitant price.
Shoyele said that the issue of middlemen had been addressed saying “we have taken steps to ensure that extortion of exhibitors will not occur in this year’s trade fair.