BPE: No plan to sell Lagos trade fair complex

The federal government says it has no plan to sell the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, following a temporary shut down of the facility.

On Monday, the trade groups had protested alleged plans by government to concession the complex to new operators with some of the traders saying there was a planned takeover by a popular politician. 

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.

But in statement on Tuesday, Amina Othman, head, public communications at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), said the concession process would be transparent.

She said the agency had met with the traders’ association of the complex on March 1 to discuss the reasons why the concession has to be done.   

“The attention of BPE has been drawn to the alleged closure of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex by the Traders’ Associations operating in the Complex and the protest by the said association over the purported sale of the complex,” the statement quoted her as saying.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the bureau states that the Federal Government of Nigeria through the BPE does not intend to sell the complex rather the facility would be concessioned through a competitive transaction process.

“It is for this reason that the government has procured the services of Messrs Feedback Infrastructure Services to advise on the way forward for the proposed concession. 

“It is apt to inform the public that the bureau on Friday, March 1, 2019, met with the entire Traders’ Associations to explain the essence of the planned concession.”

Othman said the BPE is willing to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure a smooth and successful completion of the transaction.