Agrikexpo fixed for April next year

The 2015 edition of Agrikexpo, which is West Africa’s most comprehensive agricultural exhibition, has been fixed to take place April next year in Lagos.

According to Lekan Alabi, marketing manager of 151 Products Limited, organiser of the event, based on the successes of the last two editions and from feedback obtained from several stakeholders on the 2015 edition, the forum would be the ultimate gathering of all agribusinesses in Nigeria, because all hands are on deck to ensure the largest turnout of both trade visitors and exhibitors.

More than 800 trade visitors from across the different areas of agricultural businesses from all over West Africa have signed on for attendance already, Alabi said, saying many countries have expressed interest in pavilion participation as opportunity for agric/food businesses in Nigeria is on the increase.

In the 2014 edition, Akinwunmi Adesina, minister of agriculture, said Agrikexpo had become the crème de la creme of events in agriculture sector in West Africa, during his keynote address, noting that it was a major opportunity for consolidation of business relationships between agribusiness people.

The minister commended the initiative as a necessary networking forum for agribusiness development in tandem with the objective of treating agriculture as pure business as opposed to a developmental project.

Ugo Ndubuisi, managing director, 151 Products Limited, while addressing newsmen confirmed that no stones would be left unturned in ensuring an event that will materially leverage the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the government, which is yielding outstanding results already. It is noteworthy that ATA has breathed a new lease of life into Nigeria’s agriculture and has brought a lot of attention to the vast arable lands of Northern Nigeria, much to the admiration of farmers in the zone. He lauded the minister of agriculture, who arguably should be bestowed the FARMAR – (Father of Modern Agricultural Restructuring ) Award.

Earlier at the event, Emmanuel Ijewere, executive member of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) and chairman of Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria (CASON), commended Agrikexpo as being a plus for the onward development of agribusiness in Nigeria, and also expressed NABG’s delight at the initiative. Again, he commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the vision and diligence in the pursuit of the various economic agenda.

Agrikexpo enjoys the collaboration of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which in effect is another proof of government working together with private sector for the growth of agricultural business in Nigeria. The minister of agriculture at the last edition described Agrikexpo as the creme de la creme of events for agriculture and promised a total turn out of stakeholders at the next edition.