The Lagos MSME Eko Round City Trade Fair Holds at National Stadium from Dec 8

The Lagos State Government took a giant stride towards giving full expression to this commitment to economic inclusivity with the unveiling of the maiden Lagos Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Exclusive and Eko Round City Trade Fair 1.0 during a press conference in Alausa, Ikeja, on December 2, 2025. Greeted as a transformative platform for grassroots entrepreneurship, the one-week event—running from December 8 to 14, 2025, at the National Stadium in Surulere—targets over 3,000 MSMEs from across the state’s vibrant districts.

Describing the event, the Honorable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada-Ambrose, led the announcement, adding that the event epitomizes “a celebration of enterprise, resilience, creativity, and community. building on the previous Eko MSMEs Exclusive Trade Fair.” The fair is expected to encapsulate the important position Lagos occupies in the nation’s economy, topped by the contribution of over 30% to the country’s national GDP alone, largely propelled by MSMEs dominant in the informal sector and fueling the service industry’s 90% share of real GDP in 2024, with trade accounting for over half of this in Q2.

Eko Round City

The nickname “Eko Round City” ingeniously captures the circular economic dynamism of Lagos, from the industrial grit of Apapa to the commercial pulse of Lagos Island to the cultural heartbeat of Surulere, the bustling energy of Lagos Mainland, and into the innovative corridors of Eti-Osa. Anchored in five key pillars-inclusive marketplace access, capacity building via clinics and workshops, collaboration between LGAs, bridging the formal and informal sectors, and long-term strengthening of value chains-the fair will have dedicated exhibition zones for the fashion, food processing, home décor, crafts, services, and technology sectors, among others.

More than 3,000 exhibitors from five key LGAs-Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Eti-Osa, Apapa-and their respective LCDAs, including Yaba, CokerAguda, Itire-Ikate, Ikoyi-Obalende, Apapa-Iganmu, Eti-Osa East, Iru-Victoria Island, and Lagos Island East-will showcase products, network with investors, and make use of on-site services such as business registration, digital marketing training sessions, financial literacy training, and credit linkages. It will include a cross-LGA idea-sharing and partnership zone, mentorship by public-private partners, and a comprehensive MSME database rollout to drive targeted government interventions that could formalize thousands of informal operators and unlock N200 billion in sector-wide credit flows.

This maiden edition arrives amidst Lagos’ aggressive push to leverage its 23 million-strong population—Africa’s second-largest urban economy with a 2023 GDP of $259.75 billion—for sustainable growth under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. MSMEs, which constitute 96% of Nigeria’s businesses and employ over 80% of the workforce, face persistent hurdles like limited market access, skills gaps, and financing barriers in a landscape scarred by 34% inflation and naira volatility.

Open pathways out of poverty” and foster intra-African trade under AfCFTA

By putting the spotlight on informal traders, artisans, and micro-entrepreneurs—often locked out of much larger expos like the ongoing 2025 Lagos International Trade Fair—the Round City Fair aims to “open pathways out of poverty” and foster intra-African trade under AfCFTA, in sync with broader national initiatives such as SMEDAN’s N50 billion grants. Early projections indicate it could bring immediate economic injections similar to the LITF’s ₦250 million setup-phase impact, even while building a scalable model for annual editions that will further amplify Lagos’ trade sector, already 50% of its GDP. Partners like Ògbóni Oki, chairmen of local councils—such as Yusuf Suleiman of Surulere—and organizers of Surulere Fiesta, hailed the collaboration as a template for prosperity at district levels, with Suleiman noting it “opens new doors for MSMEs and strengthens grassroots activity.”

As Lagos positions itself as Nigeria’s innovation gateway with over 80% MSME digital adoption in payments and marketing, this fair is not just an event but a catalyst for equitable wealth creation. Budding exhibitors can enroll through the Ministry’s portal, lagosstate.gov.ng, or visit any of the local government area offices close to them, while an assurance of free entrance for visitors promises a fusion of commerce, culture, and capacity building. In the words of Bada-Ambrose, “When MSMEs thrive, Lagos thrives, and when Lagos thrives, Nigeria advances.” Mark your calendars for December 8; this Round City revolution might just redefine grassroots hustles into global ventures.