Beauty West Africa Will Rewrite Wrong Perceptions about Nigeria, Says NACCIMA DG

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Director General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Sola Obadimu, has said that the just-concluded Beauty West Africa will change wrong narratives peddled about Nigeria.

The DG stated this at the opening ceremony of the global exhibition which was held at the Landmark Centre, Lagos on Tuesday.

The exhibition will host over 200 exhibitors from around the globe including China, Pakistan, Egypt, and others.

The DG said: “It’s a good development for us, particularly when you note the kind of perceptions that Nigeria seems to have – stories about insecurities and other vices.

“This event shows the world that we can still hold world-class exhibitions in Nigeria and hold them successfully.”

Speaking further, Obadimu said the exhibition also signifies that Nigeria remains a strong market with a lot of demand for different products and services.

The Managing Director of BtoB Events Limited, the organiser of the annual Beauty West Africa show, Jamie Hill, highlighted the exhibition as a crucial business platform, fostering international partnerships.

He encouraged attendees to leverage the offerings of exhibitors, emphasising the potential for growing made-in-Nigeria brands, supporting SMEs, and attracting international brands to manufacture within Nigeria, thereby boosting the country’s GDP.

“This exhibition has demonstrated that Nigeria is still a strong market with a lot of demand for its products and services.

“This emphasised the importance of companies investing in local industries and opening more manufacturing outlets to complement government efforts on employment creation.”

“The exhibition was a good opportunity for exhibitors who had not visited Nigeria or West Africa to see that Nigeria is a safe place that is ready to host the world,” he said.

Hill also underscored the significant role the Nigerian and West African markets play, with the beauty industry already contributing a substantial $5.28 billion to Nigeria’s economy.