Lagos trade fair complex shut down to ‘prevent forceful takeover’
Traders at the Lagos International Trade Fair complex along Badagry Expressway were denied access to their business premises on Monday morning.
The complex had been shut down for a couple of hours, leaving both buyers and sellers stranded with no way in or out.
An official of one of the trade groups operating in the complex, said an agreement was reached by the leaders to shut the complex down.
He said the groups were protesting against a “planned takeover by a popular politician,” although the said politician was not named.
The complex has been embroiled in an ownership tussle with trade groups in the market objecting to plans by government to concession the complex to new operators.
The National Council on Privatisation (NCP) had in September approved the revocation of the concession of the complex which was awarded to Aulic Nigeria Limited in 2008.
In December 2018, the trade groups had vowed to resist an order by the ministry of industry, trade and investment, giving approval for toll at the complex to be collected at local government level effective January 1.
Photo credit: BBC
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