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On Sunday, March 15, 2021, thousands of Lagosians in Western region of the state were waked by an earth-shattering explosion around 9 am. The explosion’s ground zero was Abule-Ado, a community that sits beside the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, a 350-hectare massive and sprawling shopping facility along the Lagos-Badagry expressway.
Considering the horrific experiences, the leadership of the Trade Fair Stakeholders Association (TFSA), an umbrella body for the over 17 business groups in the complex, had a meeting with the hierarchy of the Trade Fair Management Board (TFMB) under the Acting Executive Director, Mr. Dejilack.
At the meeting, stakeholders after thanking God for allowing the blast to happen on a Sunday; a non-trading day, pleaded the TFMB to see reason with them on the need for an alternative gate to the complex so as to allow for easy evacuation in times of emergency.

Stakeholders noted that considering the jumping number of businesses and business operators which have led to the entrance of over one million people daily with over 400,000 vehicles entering and exiting from one gate daily, there is urgent need for another entry and exit gate to save lives and properties during emergencies.
After presenting their request, the TFMB took their request to the parent Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce which graciously approved the project but made it clear that that there is no money for it.
In the wisdom of TFSA, they agreed to foot the construction bill which included provision interlocking and drainage system for about 258m to the new gate. The new gate, as agreed is facing Ado Soba area of Abule-Ado via Omonile axis with direct link to FESTAC Town was completed and delivered before the end of December 2022.
However, before the delivery of the new gate, a substantive Executive Director, Mr. Charles Okoye was appointed by the Ministry to oversee the Lagos International Trade Fair complex.
In October 2022 when the gate was completed, the stakeholders approached the new Executive Director for the opening and after consulting Abuja, he graciously gave them February 2023 as the date of the official opening of the new gate.
However, since February ending, several reminders have been sent to the TFMB for the opening of the gate without any answer from the management board.

Whereas efforts to reach the ED, Mr. Charles Okoye as at the time of filing this story, some officials of the Board under anonymity said there is nothing holding the opening of the gate. They even revealed that the Ministry even thought that the gate has been opened since February as agreed with stakeholders in October last year.
Meanwhile, back and forth movement on the opening of the new gate continues, investigations show that due to the massive number of vehicles entering the market, which currently is the largest in Africa, leaving the complex in the evenings is now a nightmare as many car owners are stock in the traffic up till 2:00am in the morning every day.
Some car owners who spoke to journalists on the matter cried out to the TFMB and the Ministry to come to their aid and open the new gate which had been ready for use since last year.
In a telephone interview, the Chairman of TFSF and incumbent President of Association of Progressive Traders (APT), Chief Eric Ilechukwu said “We have been reminding TFMB to help us open the new gate to save lives, time and inconveniences.

“We have done all that is request from us to do for the opening of the gate. We are hopeful that it will be opened as soon as possible so that people will stop suffering every evening trying to leave the complex at the end of a business day.
Also speaking, the new gate Construction Chairman and Secretary of the TFSA, Mayor Kenneth Ugboajah said “We are very hopeful that the Trade Fair Management Board will see reason with the daily sufferings of Nigerians in going home from the complex and open the new gate very soon.”
He explained that the target of the new gate is to take away a major chunk of traffic from the main gate as the new gate will move traffic through Abule Ado and link up FESTAC Town where majority of business operators at the complex reside. Besides, it will reduce traffic at the main gate and bring back exit sanity to the complex.