Promoting Nigeria’s Brand, A Priority, Says Jamil Hills

Managing Director and CEO of BtoB Events Limited, U.K, Mr Jamil Hills, has expressed that Nigeria is a huge market and urged indigenous food and beverage producers to ensure they package and market their product globally to get their due returns in order to boost Nigeria’s post economic recovery.

Hills made this clarion call during the annual “Food and Beverage West Africa Exhibition (FAB West Africa)”, held in Lagos.

He pointed out that Nigeria is a huge international market and business centre the world can never do without, therefore they should take advantage of every available step to package the product with international standard and also seize every global open door to showcase their products to boost its acceptability worldwide.

“I have been doing business in Nigeria since 2012, and I have discovered that Nigeria is so endowed and has a lot to offer to the world, in terms of very rich locally produced brands, foods and beverages. This was a reason why we embarked on this food and beverage exhibition, to showcase the wonderfully produced food and beverage in Nigeria to the world and also bring foreign producers to exploit the Nigerian huge market for Nigeria to increase her foreign earnings; I believe that this will go a long way to rebounds the Nigeria economy and also aid the post COVID-19 Pandemic economic recovery”, he said.

While commending, Nigeria local producers and brands at the well-attended exhibition, the British businessman, added that the exhibition, has shown that Nigeria local food producers and brands should be encouraged to attain global relevance, “as they have a lot to offer to the world and as well as their foreign counterparts around the world “. “You see, Nigeria is a very large market and business hub, no business man in the world today would not like to invest in. I have been coming to Nigeria since 2012, and it has benefited so much from the country and I think we should also hold a forum for her local producers to grow their businesses and globally expand their market globally and make global impact, to ensure that the economy of the country booms again after the COVID 19 Pandemic setbacks,” he said while addressing reporters.

The vast travelled British businessman expressed his satisfaction with the three day exhibition, especially the improved number of exhibitors nationally and globally, as well as the inspiring attendance of visitors.

“Since we could not host their exhibition last year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are proud to host our largest number of local exhibitions since the show’s inception in 2018. We have a real focus on promoting Nigerian products this year and that vision is gradually being achieved by FAB West Africa, the largest Sub-Sahara food and beverage exhibition”.

“We are delighted to have our trade show again here in Lagos, with key industry players from the Nigerian food and beverage industry onsite together under one roof. Hundreds of visitors attend to find out latest food and drink developments in the Nigerian region, to conduct business face-to-face and refresh acquaintances with leading manufacturers, distributors and employers. “We have a real focus on promoting Nigeria food and beverage products this year and we are proud to host our largest numbers of local exhibitors since the inception in 2018. “With the restrictions on travel being faced at present , this is really the only opportunity for distributors and retailers within the FAB market to source new products, taste new flavours and generate new business connections”, he noted further.

The Chairman Mamuda Group, Mr. Hassan Hammond, who was very elated to participate at the exhibition, said: “We are excited to be part of the largest African food and beverage exhibition for the first time”. Having been accepted in Northern Nigeria with our brand, “Pop Cola, soft drink; we look forward to tap into the national and international marketing sector with the FAB West Africa”.

Mr. Hendro Jonathan Director, Indonesian Trade Promotion Center, who confessed that he likes Nigeria food especially amala, told “Leadership” that he decided to be at the event as there are so many similarities between Nigeria food and beverages and that of Indonesia. “I came to promote our food and as well as introduce Nigeria food to our country”, he said; Ashraf El Selehdah, the Export Manager of Egyptian-based Gulf Canning Company, a first timer in Nigeria, asserted that he was overwhelm to come to Nigeria for the first time to realize his dreams of navigating into big rich market of the Nigeria he has heard so much about.

The annual “Food and Beverage West Africa Exhibition”, an international avenue for global exposure of Nigerian and West Africa producers was held from the first to third of September. The exhibition which is the largest Sub-Saharan Africa Food and Beverage Exhibition afforded Nigeria local food and beverage producers the rare opportunity to interact, associate, market and collaborate with their foreign partners from many countries of the world market. It featured international producers who gladly came to exploit the economic and natural resources in the country and seek for its development for mutual benefits for both nations. Other participants came to mine the local contents and agricultural produce in Nigeria for global export and consumption.

This year’s edition has so much improvement with over 100 international brands and producers from different countries of the world who exhibited their products.

These included 3x Energy (France); 48 Group, B & SB4 (Netherlands); Chic Basic 2010 S.L (Spain); Blue Skies Juice GH. Ltd (Ghana); British Corner Shop (United Kingdom); Crocodile sro (Czech Republic) Big brands group (Poland) among others. Prominent Nigeria brands and producers at the exhibition included AG Leventist Limited; Just food; Omonide farms; Mamuda Foods; Great Grey; Saladmaster among others. One of the highpoints of the exhibition was the local partnership and international sponsorship the event attracted from both foreign and local organizations such as Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre, “Mamuda Foods”, “Casa De Campo”, “Just Food”, “Great Grey”, “Trade Commission” of Pakistan, “National Hotel and Catering Institute”, “Restaurant and Food Services Proprietors Association of Nigeria” (RESPAN) and others.