LITF 2026: Leadway Assurance Retains Official Underwriter Status, Backs SMEs

By LOVETH-AZODO CHIJIOKE, Lagos

Leadway Assurance Company Limited has been designated as the Official Insurer of the 2026 Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) for the second consecutive year.

The 10-day trade exhibition, organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), is currently underway at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Onikan, Lagos, and will run through Sunday, November 15, 2026.

Marking the 40th anniversary of West Africa’s prominent commercial expo, the fair convenes thousands of regional manufacturers, cross-border traders, foreign commercial delegations, and local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

As the designated underwriting partner, Leadway Assurance is deploying on-site risk advisory personnel and specialized insurance desks to provide comprehensive coverage solutions and retail consultations to exhibitors, trade delegates, and consumers throughout the duration of the event.

Speaking on the renewed institutional alignment, the Executive Director of Retail and Partnerships at Leadway Assurance, Ms. Kikelomo Fischer, stated that the partnership reflects the underwriter’s commitment to de-risking domestic enterprise and shielding indigenous entrepreneurs from systemic shocks.

“At Leadway Assurance, we have a deep belief in the power of enterprise, especially small and growing businesses, which are the engine of the Nigerian economy and duly deserve partners that stand with them as they build,” Fischer said. “Returning as Official Insurer of the Lagos International Trade Fair for a second year clearly shows how invested we are in the growth of SMEs. The fair brings thousands of entrepreneurs, buyers, and investors together, and we are proud to protect that ambition while helping businesses understand how the right cover safeguards their goods, their people, and their future.”

Fischer noted that participating directly on the exhibition grounds allows the underwriter to gather first-hand intelligence on the emerging operational hazards confronting Nigerian businesses, particularly under shifting macroeconomic dynamics.

“Our presence at the fair gives us a platform to engage and listen to thousands of business owners and customers, each with unique pain points,” she added. “That insight allows us to develop products tailored to their needs. It reflects our ethos of listening first and curating solutions from real engagement with prospects and customers.”

The underwriter’s SME-focused intervention at LITF aligns with its wider non-financial enterprise support frameworks. Through its Leadway Media Dash program, the group provides emerging enterprises with free national media exposure and brand marketing assistance.

The initiative also anchored the recently concluded Leadway Lifestyle Fair, which hosted 100 small enterprises on zero-cost exhibition stands, connecting them to over 10,000 retail consumers and institutional buyers.