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The U.S. Commercial Service is facilitating an Executive-led Trade Mission from the United States to Nigeria, March 8-10. Members of the Trade Mission will spend March 8-9 in Lagos and March 10 in Abuja. They are highly interested in meeting potential partners and associates to discuss trade and investment opportunities in Nigeria. While the mission is in Lagos and Abuja, members will like to hold one-on-one sessions with potential Nigerian partners and end-users like you. If you or any of your members and associates is interested in meeting with members of the trade mission, please send your brief company profiles specifying your area of interest and the company you will like to meet to Anayo.Agu@trade.gov. The trade mission include participants from the following companies: Agribusiness: Reinke Aviation: Boeing Construction:IMS Engineering,Structuracasa Energy: MWP Industrial, Nilution Medical: Alliance Bio-Med, Prime Health, Skelley and STF. Security: Castle Shipboard Security, KD

From all indications, Nigerians growing preference for shopping in supermarkets is set to grow in coming years especially in the cities. With an expanding middle class, increasing number of repatriates and a rapidly growing number of foreigners living and working in the country, this hurricane would not abate soon. Uzochukwuamaka Otoh of the Nigerian Guardian Newspapers (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com) threw more light on this emerging trend in a report on the implications of supermarket consumption on Nigerians. Read on ... A walk into the Shoprite Supermarket at Surulere presents one with a steady stream of shoppers, who seem to have shunned the open market for the luxury of mega supermarkets. The long winding queue of people at the bakery section tells of Nigerian’s love and growing appreciation for the unique pastries, which can only be found in these mega supermarkets. The French Baget and German flat bread have come to be accepted as an especial variety and departure from the reg

Lagos, the city that never sleeps.

Have you been reluctant in making that decision to do business in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa? Then, read the success story of a Zambian farmer that took the plunge two years ago. Story was by Will Connors, Wall Street Journal Reporter in Lagos, Nigeria. In a brief discussion with him at the 50th independence anniversary of Benin Republic in Lagos, he came across to me as someone with great hope in the future of Africa...Now he is showcasing the continent in his Africa Rising series for Wall Street Journal. Well done! Ndudi Osakwe Zambian Beef Processor Expands to Nigeria With Aim of Spreading Out Across the Continent. IKENNE, Nigeria—After driving two hours—skirting truck-size potholes, fording a flooded town and dodging a body—Pieter Swanepoel arrives at a dilapidated farm about 50 miles from Lagos, Nigeria. He has reached the launching pad for Zambeef Products PLC's $10 million expansion into Africa's most populous country. A few hundred yards from where the South African