New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) Around 25 representatives from Nigeria are taking part in the ongoing India International Trade Fair, the only African country participating in the fortnight-long fair. Most of them are trading in agricultural products, like shea butter and minerals.
The Nigerian participants have come under the aegis of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, which has been bringing exhibitors from the oil-rich African nation to participate in the fair for the last few years.

Nelly Ndaguba, on her first trip to India, is trying to garner attention to her bottles of shea butter, which is used as a natural moisturizer. It is made from the nuts of the shea tree, and is often used in luxury cosmetics.

“It is really good for the skin,” she said, opening the lid of a plastic bottle and rubbing some of the yellowish butter on the skin of a customer. “If you put it in your hair, it will make it bouncy,” she said.

There was curiosity among Indian visitors to talk to the Nigerian businesswoman, who was attired in traditional clothes. Thursday was the first day the fair was opened to the general public.

Ndaguba said she was one of the early birds among the delegation to reach India. “Some of our visas got delayed, while others were not able to get flight bookings,” she said.

According to S.M. Abuta, a market researcher at NEPC, the major problem was in getting airline seats. With no direct flights between India and Nigeria, they had to book seats on Middle Eastern airlines. “Due to the Haj season, most of the planes were full,” he said.

In the next stall, an official was setting up tinned bottles of pure cocoa powder. While in another stall down the lane, Christian O. Ezeokafor had set up samples of minerals from manganese to topaz on his shelves.

“We want to export to India, but we also want investment in mines. We have a lot of incentive from the government, which is keen to increase non-oil exports,” said Ezeokafor, who already has got some serious business enquiries.

“China is a our main market, but I have come here to see if I can get some good Indian partners.”