A trade exhibition tagged “Mega Products Fashion Expo”, has begun in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State.
The expo, which is taking place at Enyimba Mall Outlet Shops, a new shopping facility, in the heart of Aba, opened on December 8, to end on December 18, 2021.
The expo is a brain child of Checkbest International Limited, promoters of Enyimba Mall Outlet Shops, Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), a city chamber and the Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency.
Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, has one of the largest concentrations of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in Nigeria and a bulk of this number are engaged in leather works garment making and steel fabrication, which could be attributed to the popularity of the city.
The city also hosts manufacturing concerns that are in the production of vegitale oil, soaps, detergents, paints products, perfume, pharmaceutical products, agro-products, among others.
The mall, which has a total area of 32, 700 square metres, and located at Etche road, Aba, was executed under public private partnership (PPP) arrangement, between Checkbest International Limited and Abia State Government.
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The mall will change “the unorganized shopping style” that is currently in practice in open markets in Aba and usher in a new era of shopping experience that is of world standard, Chiedozie Njoku, managing director, Checkbest International Limited, says.
Njoku, in a press conference, held at ACCIMA secretariat, described the mall as a ‘one-stop-shop and best shopping complex’ in the South-East region of Nigeria.
He explained that the rentable shops at the mall sit on a land space of 12,000 square metres, while the mall also has provision for multi-car park, gas turbine, food court, banks, recreational centre and standby solar power supply.
He debunked the rumour that the project is owned by Abia State Government, stressing that the project was fuully funded by Checkbest International Limited and AG Mortgage Bank Plc, while Abia State Government provided the land.
He however regretted that destruction on the facility, during #EndSARS protest brought financial loss of over N50 million to the firm and set the mall months backward, from opening date and brought psychological and emotional losses that cannot be quantified.
He thanked the Abia state government for the major role it played towards the realization of the mall, as well as rehabilitating Etche road, one of the main entrances into the Mall and assured that the mall will create more jobs for Aba residents.
Enyimba mall according to him, is the best shopping mall, east of the Niger, stating that the concept of the mall is an upscale market, where every facet of commercial life is accommodated at affordable rates.
“We have facilities like a gas turbine, food court, 12,000 rentable shops and banks. It is a place that has no rival in the South-East.
“We are working with ACCIMA, because it has the largest collection of traders. We are also working with the Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency”, he said.
He stated that the state government has given them approval to rehabilitate Danfodio road, to improve access to the mall.
