By Vivian Emoni
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has pledged stronger publicity for the 2026 Abuja International Trade Fair (AITF) to boost participation and business visibility.
The First Deputy President of the chamber, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, said this on Tuesday in Abuja, while briefing newsmen on the preparation ahead of the 21st AITF.
The AITF is scheduled to hold from Sept. 25 to Oct. 6, 2026, with the theme: “Resilience, Taxation and the Economy.’’
The focus of the fair will serve as a catalyst for dialogue and strategies that help local and international businesses withstand economic shifts.
Adesugba said that the 2025 trade fair recorded better participation than the previous edition in spite of economic challenges, while acknowledging concerns over low publicity.
He also pledged to strengthen awareness campaigns for future editions of the trade fair, adding that the fair was designed to create bigger business opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and manufacturers.
According to him, social media remains a critical tool for reaching businesses, investors and potential participants.
“Recent analytics showed its online visibility fell below expectations, necessitating a more aggressive digital communication strategy,’’ he said.
The ACCI first deputy president said that plans were underway to commence advertising and engagement campaigns across social media platforms.
He added that the chamber would work closely with media organisations to improve public awareness of its activities, while describing the media as strategic partners in reaching target audiences and promoting chamber`s programmes.
On Nigeria’s proposed one trillion dollar economy, Adesugba said government implementation plans must include active private sector participation.
He said private sector would play a critical role in achieving Federal Government’s one trillion dollar economy target and sustainable economic growth depends on active business participation, investment and policy collaboration.
He added that effective private sector participation, improved publicity and business-friendly tax policies were critical to achieving Nigeria’s economic growth targets.
Adesugba noted that economic activities have continued to recover steadily since the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said economic planning would be ineffective without the involvement of businesses that drive investment, production and employment.
He urged the government to engage the private sector at both planning and implementation stages of economic reforms.
He described recent tax reforms as necessary, adding that the effective reforms implementation required continuous engagement between government and the private sector.
Adesugba emphasised the need for a tax regime that supports productivity, as well as encouraging investment that does not stifle business growth.
He noted that the event would feature side attraction such as the Miss AITF 2026 competition, adding that the reintroduction of the competition would be one of the highlights of the 2026 fair.
According to him, the initiative aims to revive a once-popular pageant while attracting wider public participation.
“The chamber also plans to expand art and cultural exhibitions on 2026 edition of the fair to promote creativity and support the creative economy”. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu