Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF)

West Africa's largest general public trade and business fair.

• Event Date: Annually, 10 days starting the first Friday of November
• Venue Location: Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Onikan, Lagos Island
• Ticket Information: Open to the public; free general admission

A Commercial Institution Spanning Decades

The first edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) was held in 1977, making it one of Nigeria's oldest institutional trade events. Organized every year by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the fair traditionally runs for ten days starting the first Friday of November, within the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) complex in Onikan, on Lagos Island. This longevity has helped the LITF establish itself as the largest trade exhibition in West Africa, bringing together exhibitors from dozens of countries across sectors as varied as agrifood, construction, consumer electronics, and consumer goods.

An Event with Both a Professional and a Public Purpose

Unlike many trade fairs reserved for professionals, the LITF combines a classic B2B component (business meetings, new product launches, export opportunities for Nigerian SMEs) with a strong general-public dimension, with thousands of visitors coming to take advantage of the exceptional promotions offered by exhibitors during the event. This dual purpose makes it an important economic and social moment for Lagos, bringing together large multinational corporations, local SMEs seeking visibility, and families out shopping, all at a historic site in the city that has also hosted other major public gatherings such as The Experience.

A 2025 Edition Marked by Ambitious Growth

The 39th edition of the LITF ran from November 7 to 16, 2025 at Tafawa Balewa Square, with the LCCI setting a target of one million visitors, compared with the usual attendance of roughly 350,000 visitors and more than 2,000 exhibitors in previous editions. The 2024 edition had welcomed participants from 15 countries, a figure organizers aimed to surpass in 2025, confirming the event's steady growth trajectory since it was first held in 1977. This growth has come alongside a stronger presence of major Nigerian companies, with bank UBA among the lead sponsors of the 2025 edition.

A Reach Extending Beyond Nigeria's Borders

The LITF is not limited to its local dimension: its organizers regularly represent Lagos at pan-African trade fairs such as the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), where the city showcases its commercial and industrial strength to a continental audience. This participation in international gatherings reflects the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry's ambition to position the LITF not only as a local public event but also as a showcase for Lagos's economy across the African continent.