Exhibitors at the 11th Abuja International Trade Fair have attributed the low patronage at the fair to the harsh economic situation in the country.
The fair, which opened on September 22, has the theme: “Make it in Nigeria.”
Some exhibitors told newsmen that another problem could be that many civil servants had not been paid their salaries.
Ngozi Onyemaechi, who sells babies’ wears, said most customers complained that the clothes were expensive.
Onyemaechi said most of the wears in her shop were sown in Aba and that the prices were affordable.
Onyemaechi said: “I believe in my country so almost all the baby wears are from Aba so they are not expensive, but I believe before the end of the week, I will make better sales.”
Another exhibitor, Ibrahim Yakubu, who sells bedsheets and camp beds, said he had not made any sale since he arrived on Saturday.
Yakubu added that some of the customers who came to his shop promised to come back after receiving their salaries.
A foreign exhibitor, Yasir Umwar, a Pakistani, who sells Steamer and Barbecue Machines, also expressed concern over the low patronage.
Umwar said that this was his second time of attending the fair, adding that the first one he participated was good.
He said that the present economic recession might affect his business.
Another foreign exhibitor, Kojo Akan, a Ghanaian, who deals in women’s clothes, said that the issue of foreign exchange might affect her business.
Akan urged government to pay more attention to efforts in diversifying the economy to address the hardship faced by the people because of the economic recession.