11 March 2024: UCIMA, the Italian packaging machinery manufacturers’ association, is organising large Italian pavilions at two key industry exhibitions to be held in Africa in March. The aim of these collectives is to expand Italian companies’ business opportunities in the rapidly growing markets of East and West Africa.

The first event, Propak East Africa, is East Africa’s premier exhibition of the latest packaging and processing innovations and will be held from 12 to 14 March in Nairobi, Kenya. The Italian pavilion organised by UCIMA will host 20 companies: Akomag, Altopack, Ballestra, Cavanna, Cimec, Costruzioni Meccaniche Sottoriva, Ecopack, Galdi, Goglio, IPI, Mas Pack Packaging, PFM, Pietribiasi Michelangelo, R. Bardi, Sacmi, Sapack, Siad, Smi, Tecno Pack and Tropical Food Machinery.

Kenya, the largest economy in East Sub-Saharan Africa, is also establishing itself as the fourth largest economy in the Sub-Saharan region as a whole after Nigeria, South Africa and Angola. In 2022, Kenya’s packaging machinery imports totalled 35.4 million euros, a 13.5% increase from the previous year. Italy ranks as Kenya’s third largest trading partner behind China and India, with packaging machinery exports amounting to 5.9 million euros, equivalent to a 16.4% market share.

The second event, PlastPrintPack Nigeria, will be held from 26-28 March 2024 at Landmark Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The exhibition attracts buyers from across West Africa in search of the best technologies for plastics processing, packaging and printing. A total of 12 Italian brands will be present in the country pavilion organised by UCIMA: Arol, Boato Pack, Costruzioni Meccaniche Sottoriva, Duetti Packaging, ITIB Machinery International, MG2, MW Lak Solutions, Pigo, Plasmac, Promec, Studio Tecnico Appiani and Tecno Pack.

Nigeria, with a GDP of US 477 billion euros, was Africa’s largest economy in 2022. It is also the continent’s most populous nation with a population of more than 200 million, a figure projected to double by 2050. Ranking as Africa’s second largest importer of plastics processing technology (165 million euros), Nigeria is also the third largest importer of packaging technology (151 million euros) and second largest importer of printing and converting machinery in Sub-Saharan Africa. This makes it a market of significant interest in terms of both its current size and its growth potential.

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