By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has announced the inaugural edition of the Lagos MSMEs Exclusive and Eko Round City Trade Fair 1.0, in partnership with Surulere Fiesta, to showcase and support small businesses across the State.
The event will hold at the National Stadium, Surulere, from 8 to 14 December 2025.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Bada Ambrose, described the Fair as a “grand, inclusive, and unifying commercial event” aimed at celebrating enterprise, resilience, creativity, and community.
She said the initiative brings together five Local Government Areas—Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa, and Apapa—along with their associated Local Council Development Areas, creating a shared platform where commerce, culture, and collaboration intersect.
“Lagos is a city of many parts, many communities, and many dreams. The idea of the ‘Round City’ reflects our collective resolve to unify these diverse localities into one inclusive marketplace,” Bada Ambrose said.
Highlighting the significance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), she noted that across Nigeria, MSMEs account for about 96 percent of all businesses, contribute roughly half of the national GDP, and provide employment for as much as 84 to 87 percent of the working population.
In Lagos, where trade drives over 50 percent of the State’s real GDP, she said thriving MSMEs are central to the city’s economic success.
The Commissioner explained that the Fair is anchored on five key objectives: providing an inclusive marketplace for artisans and small businesses; promoting capacity building through workshops and business clinics; fostering networking and collaboration across LGAs; creating social and educational spaces for families; and strengthening grassroots economic activity through job creation and enterprise formalisation.
“This year’s Fair will feature a trade exhibition for micro and small businesses, from tailoring and handicrafts to food, fashion, home décor, and technology services,” she said. “Business clinics will cover registration, financial literacy, digital marketing, supply-chain management, product standards, and access to credit.”
Bada Ambrose also stressed the importance of linking entrepreneurs with investors, public-private partners, and support agencies to facilitate scaling, while ensuring inclusion for informal-sector actors such as market traders and roadside vendors. The event’s cross-LGA collaboration zone will encourage partnerships, knowledge sharing, and strengthened value chains.
She said the Fair will promote social inclusion by giving visibility to grassroots entrepreneurs and nurturing a culture of innovation and self-reliance, particularly among women and young people. “As we train informal traders in registration, compliance, and quality standards, we bring them closer to formalisation and new opportunities,” she added.
The Commissioner urged all participants to embrace the platform fully. “Entrepreneurs and traders should showcase their products, network, learn, and grow. Families should come and see enterprise celebrated. Investors and NGOs must mentor and provide access to finance, technology, and markets. Government institutions should use this Fair to establish continuous support for MSMEs,” she said.
Looking ahead, Bada Ambrose outlined plans to develop a comprehensive database of MSMEs across the five LGAs, expand business clinics beyond the Fair, improve access to credit and technology, and deepen inter-LGA collaboration to build value chains and promote shared prosperity.
She added by appreciating partners, including Ogboni Fouad Oki, Chairmen of Local Governments and LCDA councils in Lagos Central Senatorial District, and the organisers of Surulere Fiesta, for their collaboration.
