Traders shut down the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex to protest a plan for state and local government agencies to take over the market’s management. This caused activities there to stop.
According to Vanguard, the traders were worried about what the planned arrangement would mean for their firms, such as new taxes and fees that might come up.
A lot of traders said that the complex is a government property and that more talks should happen before any changes are made to how it is run.
The construction work caused stores all across the complex to close, leaving hundreds of traders hanging out in parks and garages on the market grounds while talks went on.
The stoppage affected the ASPANDA Market, which is one of the biggest spare parts marketplaces in Lagos, as well as other parts of the complex.
Eyewitnesses reported that traders started the protest early in the morning by shutting up their shops and stalls to get people to pay attention to their worries about the proposed changes.
“We’re not against development, but we’re worried about the taxes and fees that could be added if the management structure changes,” said a trader named Emeka Onu.
Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, also went to the market during the day to talk to traders and persuade them to reopen the complex.
Before starting her tour of the market, the minister asked that the gates of the complex be opened to vendors. She said that her visit was meant to talk to stakeholders and help business run smoothly.
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