Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria Others Partner on Home Decor Exhibition

• Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria Others Partner on Home Decor Exhibition

The Republic of Turkey has said it is happy to participate in the maiden edition of the International Home Décor and Giftware exhibition holding in Nigeria.

Deniz Eralp, the International Sales and Marketing Manager for Turkey stated at the opening of the exhibition at the Landmark exhibition centre in Lagos.

“The ties between Turkey and Nigeria trace back in history and have always maintained good relationships. Both are members of an organisation of Islamic Co-operation and the Developing Eight nations and further maintain close co-operation economically,” said Eralp.

The president of the Retail Council of Nigeria (RCN), Ashiwaju Onafowokan, who was represented by the secretary of the organisation, Alhaji Kunle Hamzat, said the retail industry is fast growing and expected to be the biggest employer of labour and the major contributor to the country’s GDP.

“2017 is no doubt going to be a great opportunity for our members to network with other international participants with a view to establishing business relationship which will eventually grow their business and I turn, the Nigerian Economy,” he said through written speech.

Further in his submission, Hamzat pointed out that the event would create opportunities for the retail industry as well as create job opportunities for the youths.

“What you see here today is the meeting of local and international minds. We have foreign investors coming to show interest in Nigeria and we have local buyers who want to tap from the investment to make Nigeria greater.”

He said the event taking place at this time when the economy is not buoyant means ‘’we are not just limiting ourselves but are thinking outside the box to make things happen. When there is such collaboration, kind of synergised efforts then you see that the economy will bounce back’’.

The three days’ event is organised by Clarion Events West Africa in partnership with the RCN, Defining the Nigerian Interior or Design Market (DENIM), Transwalk Interiors, others.

Commercial Director Clarion Events West Africa Russell Hughes, in his opening remarks, said the event aims to open up channels of trade between Nigerian retail buyers and the interior designers with local and international suppliers and manufactures.

“Featured in the exhibition is a vast array of made in Nigeria items as well as as some of the most sought after and newly discovered international brands,”said Hughes.

President of DENIM, Binta Suleiman said home décor and giftware Nigeria creates opportunity for dialogue and exchange of opinion and ideas in addition to increased knowledge and demonstration of company presence to the industry. He also stated that it will create an avenue to showcase what the Nigerian interior design market has to offer to the rest of the world.

“To me, what is more exciting is the business opportunities because it provides us clients with higher poaching power as well as exchange in services, the opportunities are vast. This also gives me hope to see all this amazing brands giants.

“Nigeria presents a wealth of business opportunities for South African companies. We have over 19 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs that are into Home Décor and Giftware. These companies offer a wide variety of products in this sector and are already exporting to Europe and the USA,” said Annalize Van Zyl, for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) South Africa.

The CEO Adam and Eve, Mrs Modupe Ogunleesein, in her keynote address entitled: Nigeria’s Retail Businesses, Removing the Barriers, said people are afraid to spend money on home décor which is one of the challenges facing the sector. Adding that multiple taxation by government agencies is crippling the sector and urged government to make access to funding which would go a long way in boosting the sector.