Black history is a very special observance to Africans and in Africa — because, while we are still not able to come together in-person to applaud Black excellence, creativity and accomplishments, we have put in place other ways to celebrate this cultural moment.
Although the commemoration started in the United States, it has gained momentum cross-continentally. It is marked by a series of activities that include black rights advocacy, black film screenings, book readings in honour of black authors, black music playlist on radio and music streaming sites, black-centred conversations on social media, and black-themed exhibitions.
It has been, and is a point of duty to project Black brands, businesses and labels on a global scale, and it is without question that Africans in Africa have their own unique roles to play in this cultural phenomenon.
And in Nigeria this year, there are a series of events frontlining the globalization of African brands – exhibitions and expos to herald transnational trade – you should know.
INGETREX (The International General Trade Exhibition)
Ingetrex is a general trade fusion of different sectors — Agriculture, Food & Packaging, Fashion & Beauty, Building & Construction, Home & Textiles, as well as Interiors — that leads exhibitions on an international scale.
The trade convergence also leads conversations about innovation, sustainability and African-consumerism. This event aims to bring together key players in different industries in the state, as well as exhibitors and decision-makers, to network. This year, Ingetrex will host two editions, in Asaba, Delta state, and Ekiti State, April 6th & 9th, and August 25th & 27th respectively.
Professionals and field experts will be dialoging on topics around innovation, transformation and sustainability in business/SME development in these states, while giving room for tourists, visitors and exhibitors to be taken around several sites and locations in the states; also promoting tourism, and contributing to our country’s GDP.
LAGOS FASHION FAIR
Lagos as we all know it has been named as one of the most influential cities in the world.
It has been a juggernaut of Africa, alongside Johannesburg, Dakar and Nairobi especially for rising stars in the fashion industry. The growth of the African retail landscape is a key indicator of the evolution of this industry within the last ten years heralding a retail surge in Lagos.
In this same decade, Lagos fashion Fair has existed as an international ready-to-wear fashion exhibition that has brought together over 1,200 exhibitors and over 18,000 unique visitors. Its objective has remained to create an enabling platform where creative Nigerian designers and fashion-preneurs connect with an international audience to showcase the beauty and creativity of Africans through their designs and innovations, while making both the international fashion market and pan-African fashion market co-exist side by side.
This event is critical to how Africa is perceived, and its goods and services are received in the global fashion context. So, the significance of LFF cannot be underwritten.
This year, there’ll be a double showcase of the fair. The first is the SME edition, scheduled for 26th-28th May, at the Jelili Omotola Hall, University of Lagos. The second is the Lagos Fashion Fair International edition, scheduled for 7th-9th September, at Eko Convention Center, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
BUILDMACEX (Building, Construction & Machinery Expo)
Buildmacex is an international exhibition and conference platform focused on transformation of the building and construction industry. It is organized to drive and support acceleration changes in every aspect of architectural design, building and construction through the application of technologies in Africa.
The pandemic forced construction companies to adopt new and readily available technologies, and that adoption will continue short-term, and long-term post-pandemic. Also, there will be an increase in tech investments and the use of digitization, building modeling systems, off-site construction and sustainable building materials.
Over the past years, Buildmacex has been a meet-point for all stakeholders within the value chain of the building and construction sector, bringing over 1,000 exhibitors and brands, and over 15,000 unique visitors to Nigeria. With over 206 million people, this pan-African event contributes to the Nominal GDP per capita ($2,233.45), increasing the foreign capital inflow, which according to Trade Economics analysts, is expected to reach $724.41 million.
Buildmacex 2022 will showcase a comprehensive range of technology, digital and physical systems, impacting building and construction efficiency to over 5,000 visitors from all sectors of the building and construction industry, between 11th-13th October, at Eko Convention Center, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
These events are set to globalize African creativity and Black excellence while proving Nigeria as a nexus for creative visual arts, fashion, tech, and commercialization.
