FOR a first timer, who is visiting the venue of the eighth Lagos Motor Fair at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, he or she would think that what is going on there was a Lagos carnival festival because of the aerial of auto companies who turned up en masse to showcase their products.

During the opening day ceremony of the fair, it was greeted with colourful flags of many auto companies that operated in the country, including major oil marketers who came out en masse despite the heavy down pour to display their products to participants and customers.

In any case, the turn out of various auto companies at the fair has summed up the event as the citadel for harnessing the abundant potentials in the nation’s automotive sector.

The expo, which is eighth edition in succession, has became the front burner for auto companies as it has put Nigeria on the map of international auto shows.

Specifically, the auto show has become the avenue for testing the development of the nation’s automobile industry.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fair, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola said that the motor fair had demonstrated that the state remained the hub for growth and development of the nation’s automobile industry.

According to Fashola, the role Lagos State play towards the growth of the nation’s economic development could not be overemphasised, adding that for Nigeria to be adjudged with a successful international auto show, Lagos must always be the citadel for the organisers.

“Lagos is so central to the development of the automotive sector that we cannot but do all we can to seeing that this important market enjoys the full benefits of having a befitting auto show. We have packaged a show that could effectively be used by the participants and visitors to maximise the benefits derivable in the Nigerian automotive sector.

He continued: “The Lagos Motor Fair remains the unparalleled gathering of established brands as well as new entrants and the range is wide. From passenger busses, cars, trucks, spare parts, accessories, lubricants, financials and many more.”

Chairman, Organising Committee and Managing Director, Ifeanyichukwu Agwu said that the importance of continuously staging the show could not be over-emphasised, adding that to be able to consistently host and take the auto show to world class standard required the support of stakeholders in the industry as well as the government.

“I therefore call on the government, especially the Lagos State government to support our efforts at hosting this annual auto show to the standard that befits the state’s status as the fastest growing mega city in the world. The opportunities and potentials of Lagos motor shows is one the state could leverage on to promote economic ‘tourism’ which will give a big boost to her economy,” Agwu said.

One unique lesson of the expo was the international affiliations, as there were many foreign companies that participated and took space to showcase their products.

One of the foreign exhibitors was the CC auto FTZ, the distributors of FAW buses and trucks in Nigeria- a first time participant from the City of Changchun Municipal Peoples Government of the Jilin Province of the People’s Republic of China, which was led by the Deputy Mayor of the Province, Gui Guangli to the fair.