(By Job Osazuwa – LAGOS)
Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), yesterday, sought to partner with The Sun Publishing Limited in promoting trade and investment in Nigeria.
At a visit to The Sun’s corporate head office in Lagos, the Vice President and Chairman of Trade Promotion Board of LCCI, Mr. Sola Oyetayo, who led the delegation, disclosed that the meeting was to strengthen Nigeria’s economy, especially at this trying time.
Oyetayo commended The Sun for its “wonderful job as the voice of the nation”. He said the vibrant newspaper was needed to publicise the vast business opportunities that abound in Nigeria, explaining that the chamber had thrived in advocacy and trade promotion since 1888.  
He announced that the 2016 edition of the Lagos international Trade Fair would commence November 4 to 13, 2016, with the theme: “Promoting Nigeria Economy for Diversification and Sustainable Growth” taking place at Tafawa Balewa Square in the state. Other segments, according to him, are “Business to Business”, “International Investment Conference” as well as “Creative Fair”, all designed to drive the economy from its depressed state.
Oyetayo said this year’s edition marked the 30th since Lagos took over hosting the fair in 1986, saying that it was a unique one.
“What we are asking you is to be our partner in this progress, to help us to create awareness and to make it a win-win situation. We believe that our partners should be talking businesses that benefit all parties involved”, he said.
In tackling Nigeria’s recession, he said apart from creating the platform for policy dialogue between government and the private sector to improve the economy, the chamber also draft recommendations to all stakeholders.
The Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Eric Osagie, said the company had, in the last 13 years of existence, remained faithful and committed to all stakeholders, Nigeria and readers, for mutual benefits.  He told his visitors that The Sun was the widest and highest selling newspaper in the country, stressing that different independent findings had proven him right.
“We print The Sun newspapers from three locations which ensures that you have a daily dose of it everyday simultaneously. For those who care to know our strength, we simply ask them to ask their vendor or people in their own villages.
“We have a kind of a mutual beneficial relationship with the stakeholders and the reading public. Our duty is not simply to disseminate information, but this is also a business. It means that we are also affected by the different challenges we find in Nigeria today.
“We are happy to partner with you on mutually beneficial relationship. We like organisations that add values to they operate in, like yours that promote trade and investment across the country,” Osagie said.