Lagos State plans to select 20 outstanding small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) from the ongoing Export Readiness Training Programme to represent Nigeria at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Algiers, Algeria. The event is scheduled to take place in September 2025.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment made this announcement during the programme’s launch in Alausa, Ikeja. She explained that this export-focused programme, created by the Lagos State Government in partnership with Afreximbank and ImpactHER, aims to prepare local businesses to compete globally.
She described the IATF as a huge opportunity that gives access to more than 1.3 billion people across Africa. According to her, the training is more than just classroom lessons. It serves as a platform to help Lagos-based SMEs become “Export Ambassadors” and enter the international market.
The Commissioner stated that boosting exports among local businesses will create jobs, increase income, and stimulate Lagos’s economy. She also pointed out that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) makes it easier for businesses to sell products and services across the continent. However, many SMEs still face challenges such as poor product packaging, limited funding, compliance problems, and weak trade connections.
To solve these issues, the one-week training programme includes sessions on export paperwork, global packaging standards, trade finance, customs procedures, digital trading, and how women-led businesses can grow. It also teaches SMEs how to take advantage of the AfCFTA.
She encouraged participants to take the training seriously. She said this is more than just a learning session—it is a chance to grow their businesses beyond Nigeria.
Speaking from Egypt, Mr. Ody Akhanoba, Afreximbank’s Director of SME Development, said this training supports the bank’s mission to grow small businesses across Africa. In 2024, Afreximbank invested $18.7 billion in similar training projects in 27 African countries. The bank plans to support over 3,000 SMEs in 2025 across 38 African countries and 7 Caribbean nations.
The 20 SMEs selected from Lagos will showcase their goods and services at IATF 2025 in Algeria. They will gain international exposure, meet business partners from other countries, and expand their reach across Africa and beyond.
No Comments