Business
Abuja International Trade Fair To Gulp N30bn
The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA), Dr Solomon Nyagba, said the 7th Abuja International Trade Fair would gulp about N30 billion.
Nyagba, who gave the figure at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, said that more than 1,000 direct and indirect exhibitors would participate in the fair.
The fair with the theme: “Transforming and Reforming SMEs as Growth Drivers for Economic Development’’, will hold from Sept. 27 to Oct. 8, at the JT Useni International Trade Fair Complex.
According to Nyagba, the chamber is looking forward to recouping its investment in the fair.
He said the fair would offer opportunities for business development, networking and exchange of ideas.
“It is also a hub for all participants to showcase their goods and services.
“Being an international trade fair, we are optimistic that the fair will woo some investors, who will in turn create job opportunities and further reduce poverty.’’
Nyagba said the previous fairs had impressive foreign participants and expressed optimism that the forthcoming one would attract same patronage.
He said the chamber had received confirmation from the Ghana Investment Promotion Commission that their business operators would attend the fair with more than 65 companies and entrepreneurs.
The ABUCCIMA boss said the Indian High Commission, Philippines, Indonesia, China, Senegal, Venezuela, among others, had also confirmed their participation.
According to him, small and medium-enterprises are tools that can be used to boost and improve Nigeria’s economy; hence incentives should be put in place to encourage them.
“To reposition our manufacturing sector as the country’s engine for growth, and as a transformation agent, we urge Government to give infrastructure overhaul a priority.
“This is because organised private sector remains a major stakeholder in the economic life of any nation.’’
He said the chamber was collaborating with Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company to provide pick-up points from all the suburbs to the trade fair to ease transportation.
He added that the chamber was conscious of the security challenges in the country and was working closely with security agencies to ensure a hitch-free fair.
The Chairman of the Trade Fair Committee, Retired Gen. India Garba,said relevant agencies had been contacted to ensure free movement for the participants especially from Ghana due to its large contingent.
ABUCCIMA, with over 2,300 registered companies, was registered in 1986 for the promotion and building of efficient and credible business practices.
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Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry leaders have defended the Nigerian local content policy, rejecting claims that it inflates business costs in the oil and gas sector.
The leaders, who made the defence during the recent Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy week held in Abuja, the nation’s capital, cautioned that such criticisms jeopardizes the nation’s industrial progress.
They lauded the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), for what they described as its pivotal role in building indigenous capacity and fostering innovation.
In a panel session titled “Technology as a Business Strategy”, panellists championed NCDMB’s contributions, emphasizing its success in driving local expertise and technological advancement.
In his remarks, Group Chief Executive Officer of Pana Holdings, Dr. Daere Akobo, dismissed critics of local content, arguing that its benefits to Nigeria’s economy far outweighs any perceived cost increases.
“Claims that local content drives up costs are misguided. How can you prioritize cost over GDP growth? Where will our youth find jobs? Undermining local content for short-term gains is a mistake. Nigeria must stay the course”, he said.
He highlighted his company’s work on Africa’s first digital refinery, a pioneering project showcasing the synergy between technology and local content, and also identified fragmented data in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector as a key barrier to cost efficiency.
Akono said, “Technology drives accountability and curbs cost inflation. But our data remains siloed. Consolidation is critical for industry efficiency.”
Also speaking, Managing-Director of Coleman Cables and Wires, Mr. George Onafowokan, praised NCDMB’s data-driven approach, crediting it for significant strides in local content development.
“Data is the backbone of growth. Effective data collection and accessibility are vital. Thanks to NCDMB, we’ve achieved 52% local content—a remarkable milestone”, he said.
The panellists unanimously agreed that integrating technology, consolidating data, and strengthening institutions like NCDMB are critical to building a resilient and competitive oil and gas sector.
He urged policymakers, operators, and international stakeholders to reject narratives blaming local content for rising costs and rather advocate for robust frameworks and investments to drive inclusive growth and long-term industry stability.
Similarly, speaking at the NOG week, representatives from Ghana, and other African nations have underscored the growing influence of Nigeria’s local content framework and urged stronger cross-border policy alignment.
In his remark, NCDMB’S pioneer Executive Secretary, Ernest Nwapa, highlighted the Nigerian oil and gas sector’s resurgence, saying it is driven by increased production, deregulation, and improved governance, while also emphasizing the need for long-term sustainability to sustain the momentum.
“Africa is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s foreign policy. Initiatives like the West African and African Gas Pipelines, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Nigeria First, Africa Next’ strategy are evidences of Nigeria’s continental commitment.
“When Nigeria enacted its local content law, it faced Western criticism from bodies like the WTO and EU, who labelled it anti-trade. Today, over 16 African nations and even the United States have adopted similar laws. Nigeria must lead again, driving investments that benefit the entire continent”, he said.
In similar vein, Deputy Chief Executive of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, Nasir Alfa Mohamed, noted that African nations have long looked to Nigeria for energy sector leadership, calling for the dismantling of barriers to regional integration and advocated for standardized regulations.
“A Ghanaian company should be able to compete for contracts in Nigeria based solely on merit. We need joint regulatory bodies, mutual recognition of standards, and robust support for platforms like the African Oil Forum”, he noted.
Mohamed also highlighted Ghana’s growing partnerships with Nigeria and others, including a memorandum of understanding with Uganda, noting that Ghana is currently the only African nation participating in the International Upstream Forum.
In his speech, Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, represented by Prof. Zainab Gobir, stressed the importance of joint infrastructure, uniform tariffs, and coordinated regulations for true economic integration.
“We must uphold our sustainability commitments and support each other in meeting them.
“The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is a model, particularly its Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, designed to de-risk investments in gas and infrastructure projects. We collaborate closely with NCDMB to strengthen local content, ensuring regulations support fair participation”, he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, has reaffirmed the nation’s strategic role in regional energy cooperation, noting that the country accounts for nearly 30% of Africa’s oil reserves and 33% of its gas.
“Our host community development model is a success, fostering stability in oil-producing regions and serving as a blueprint for others”, Komolafe said.
He highlighted the NUPRC’s 17 forward-looking regulations and new frameworks for deepwater development, alongside a production optimization programme built on inter-agency and operator collaboration.
The NUPRC boss also praised President Tinubu’s recent Executive Order, which he said enhances local content laws by prioritizing human capacity development and boosting investor confidence.
“International oil companies now recognize Nigeria’s robust local expertise, making it a key investment draw. We’re exporting our local content model to other African nations”, he said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
A concerned group of stakeholders under the auspices of Khana Coastal Communities has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Hydrocarbon Remediation Restoration Project (HYPREP) to include the removal of Nipa palms which has taken over the positions of mangroves in the area as part of the ongoing Ogoni Clean Up Exercise.
The group, which decried the invasive and destructive effects of Nypa fructicans, commonly known as Nipa palms, on the ecosystem of the affected communities, made their appeal in a Press Statement issued shortly after the inspection and survey of the creeks and coastlines of affected communities.
The communities are Kwiri, Kereken, Kaa, Gwara, Sii, Kpean, Tehnnama, Bane, Kalaoku, and Opuoku, all in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoni, Rivers State.
Signed on behalf of the affected communities by comrades Emmanuel Goteh Bie, Raymond Nwibani, and Chief Barineka Tonwe, the statement emphasized the need for urgent intervention to clear the Nypa fructicans and replace them with mangroves which provided sustainable habitat for aquatic species in the affected communities.
The group commended the Federal Ministry of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup process and urged all stakeholders involved in the process not to renege on their complementary roles.
The statement read in part: “As you have seen, the Nypa fructicans has taken over our creeks, displacing native mangroves and aquatic life. The impact on our communities has been severe, with many of our people struggling to make a living due to the depletion of fish and other aquatic resources.
“We commend the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for its efforts in restoring native mangroves in Ogoni, particularly in the Bomu Community. However, we are alarmed by the unintended consequences of removing invasive Nypa fructicans, which has led to the disappearance of fish and aquatic life, threatening the livelihoods of our coastal communities.
“We believe that the removal of Nypa fructicans and replanting of native mangroves will help revive our aquatic life and sustain the livelihoods of our people.”
The group passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, and HYPREP Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, for what it described as their unwavering efforts in ensuring the success of the Ogoni cleanup exercise.
They called on the Federal Government to release their counterpart funding to HYPREP without delay to sustain the pace of progress recorded in the clean up process.
“The cleanup exercise is commendable, and any delay in funding could stall the progress and undermine the efforts of all stakeholders. We urge the government to prioritize the Ogoni cleanup exercise and provide the necessary support to ensure its success”, they stated.
They also used the opportunity to caution against the antics of self-inflicted activists or bodies that might attempt to hijack the cleanup agenda and create unnecessary agitation, and assured the total support of the affected communities to HYPREP’s activities to enhance the holistic success of the Ogoni clean up exercise.
Bemene Taneh
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has promised full support to ensuring that ‘world-class’ safety boots manufactured by a firm, Yikodeen Company Limited, were utilised in-country.
The Tide learnt that the firm recently inaugurated its expanded safety footwear manufacturing plant in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State, a 120,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility capable of producing 5,000 pairs of safety boots per day.
In his remarks, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Director of Capacity Building, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, described the inauguration as a landmark event that aligned with the Board’s core mandate to promote local content across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain and beyond.
“Enterprises like Yikodeen are at the heart of what we stand for at the NCDMB. The ‘D’ in our name stands for Development, and the ‘M’ means Monitoring, which describes our dedicated effort to ensure Nigerian-made products are not just produced, but utilised”, he said.
Ogbe said the NCDMB will continue to support the company, especially as its products meet global standards, and are already being adopted in the oil and gas industry.
“I’ve the mandate to inform you of our full support to ensure that these world-class safety boots are utilised in-country”, he said.
The Board’s Chief Scribe cited the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy, stressing its implications across all sectors.
“The President, through the Bureau of Public Procurement, has directed that all safety footwear procured with public funds must be made in Nigeria. Yikodeen stands to benefit immensely from this directive if strategically positioned”, Ogbe noted.
He commended the founder’s determination, saying from all indications the firm’s boss started from a relatively young age.
“A shoemaker is now a billionaire shoemaker. I urge Nigerian youths to channel their energy into entrepreneurship. The Yikodeen journey is one that inspires national pride”, the NCDMB’S helmsman added.
In his remarks, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, lauded the company’s achievement, describing it as symbolic of Lagos’ industrial vision.
“From a modest workshop in 2016, Yikodeen has emerged as the largest footwear manufacturing company in West Africa. This is not just a factory, it is a movement, a demonstration that Lagos can produce, compete, and export globally”, he said.
Sanwo-Olu affirmed that the factory directly aligned with the State’s industrial policy (2025–2030), which seeks to double the manufacturing sector contribution to the state’s Gross Domestic Product from 7.5 per cent to at least 15 per cent by 2030, reduce dependence on imports for basic consumer goods, and foster an ecosystem where local industries can thrive through forward and backward value chain integration.
“Yikodeen is not only producing shoes, it is producing livelihoods, opportunities, and dignity”, the Lagos Governor added.
Recounting his entrepreneurial journey, founder and CEO of Yikodeen, Mr. Atunde Shamsideen, described the venture as a stubborn dream born in 2015.
“This vision started in a room, with just 20 pairs of shoes. Today, we produce over 2,000 pairs daily to ISO, ASTM, and Nigerian industrial standards”, he said.
He commended the NCDMB for its pivotal role in his company’s growth, noting how the Board helped facilitate years of product testing and eventual adoption by oil and gas companies like Saipem and Daewoo.
“Their enforcement ensured our products got through. Today, those same companies are our biggest customers”, the firm’s CEO added.
He stressed on the potential for job creation if local procurement policies were enforced, claiming that only about two percent of safety boots used in Nigeria were locally manufactured.
“If we enforce local purchase in the oil and gas and public sectors, we can create over 35,000 jobs.Yikodeen’s production ecosystem already engages women in raw material recycling and trains over 1,000 people yearly.
“Buying Made-in-Nigeria goes far beyond commerce. it is about creating value chains, livelihoods, and national dignity”, Shamsideen noted.
Also speaking, Director-General of the Standards Organizationnof Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, represented by the Director for Lagos Operations, Mrs. Teresa Ojomo, praised Yikodeen’s adherence to national and international safety standards.
“This is not just a facility, it’s a declaration that Nigerian manufacturing can lead globally. The Standards Organization of Nigeria will continue to support companies like Yikodeen who take quality seriously”, he said.
Okeke underscored SON’s partnership with the firm since 2006, culminating in the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme certification, which assures consumers of quality and safety, citing the company’s certification under critical standards such as NIS ISO 20346:2004 and ISO 20345:2022.
“Standards are not obstacles, they are enablers. They are the bridge between ambition and market access”, he added.
In his remarks, the Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse(111), represented by the Ogwa-Olusan, Chief Brown Mene, described Yikodeen as a beacon of hope for Nigeria.
The monarch likened the company to a stubborn vision that refused to be beaten by headwinds, proving that Nigeria was on an upward trend, urging the team to remain visionary and expand globally, while also assuring that the name of Yikodeen will blaze bright and proud.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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