19 December COMTEX
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In appreciation of a bi-lateral trade cooperation with Nigeria, Iran,
penultimate week, held its trade fair and exhibition in Abuja. Assorted products
ranging from jewellery, persian rugs, chandeliers and other household
assessories were on display. Habiba Adamu of Abuja Trust who was at the trade
fair wrote in this piece.
For the first time in Abuja, the Islamic Republic of Iran held its trade fair
and exhibition at the National Centre for Women Development. The fair which
kicked off November 1 lasted till November 9.
The display was eye-catching and the atmosphere was breathtaking. The
products exhibited at the grand Iranian products and arts solo trade fair were
the sort that one may wish to possess in his/her home owing to their exquisite
nature.
Indeed the products whicn ranged from furniture, chandeliers, toilet
assessories, persian carpets, various kinds of ornaments, kitchen equipment and
jewelery were grand but expensive.
Abuja being the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and full of rich people,
beside the fact that it is the seat of power, one would expect that the Iranians
would not have any difficulty in selling their products. This was one of the
reasons that informed the Iranians' choice of Abuja for their first trade fair
in the city.
Ibrahim Aalizadeh whose elder brother, E. Aalizadeh, was co-partner to K. S.
Lari of S. A. trading Import and Export, the outfit that organised the two weeks
exhibition, explained the rationale behind holding the trade fair in Abuja.
"We have chosen Abuja because it is the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria
and here, most of the residents are rich; they come and buy easily," he said.
He further explained that though it was not the first time they were having
the exhibition in Nigeria, it was however the first time they've come to Abuja
for an exhibition.
Despite that for the past three years they had held exhibitions in different
parts of the country like in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Kano States, the
Abuja exhibition was more successful in terms of business, compared to the
previous fairs held in other states of the federation.
However, one of he problems faced by the Iranian traders, according to
Ibrahim, was the packing of their products for transportation at the end of the
exhibition on November 9, 2001. Ibrahim added that the furniture and other bulky
products they brought with them for exhibition in Abuja were not selling well,
unlike jewelery and plastics (kitchen equipment).
"The jewelery and the plastics were cheap so customers were more attracted to
them. That was why we sold them quicker compared to the other products on
exhibition," he explained.
The products on exhibition, though mostly made in the finest quality and very
beautiful, they were a bit expensive even for the rich, a factor which,
apparently, was responsible for their poor sale.
A customer who gave her name as Jummai Isah said that the furniture were a
bit expensive but considering their quality, the prices were reasonable.
Shedding more light on the high prices of the items on display at the
exhibition, Ibrahim said the prices were lower in Iran but taking into
consideration the amount of money they spent transporting the products and other
expenses, they tried to fix prices reasonably not to scare away customers.
He also pointed out that during the exhibition, business flourished daily,
saying, "After this exhibition in Abuja we are moving to Lagos for another ten
days exhibition before we go back to Iran. But despite our little problem, we
have sold many of our products.
Every day the business is becoming better. In
fact the next time we come for exhibition in Nigeria, it would be in Abuja
because it was the best exhibition we had."
Ibrahim further explained that they would also hold another exhibition in
Lagos when they come back to Nigeria because of the large population there.