Bifixit National LIVE Trade Fair: FAQ Mega-Guide

New event, new format, understandably a lot of questions. This guide answers what vendors and buyers actually ask about the Bifixit National LIVE Trade Fair, grouped so you can jump to what matters to you.

General

What is it? The Bifixit National LIVE Trade Fair is Nigeria's first national livestream-native trade fair. Vendors broadcast live at scheduled slots across two days; buyers watch and check out inside the stream, the same way TikTok Shop LIVE works, without leaving to buy elsewhere.

When is it? Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 December 2026.

How is it different from a normal trade fair? There's no physical stand, no travel, and no venue capacity limit. Reach is national and international from a single slot, and unlike a physical fair, the shop and slot replay stay live and sellable after the event ends.

Registration and Fees

How much does registration cost? ₦100,000 if you register before 1 November 2026 (the early-bird rate), and ₦150,000 from 1 November onward.

Is there any way to register for free? Yes — registration is free for vendors already on an active Bifixit paid subscription plan.

Can international vendors join? Yes, international vendors can register alongside Nigerian ones.

Do I need to already have a Bifixit shop? The trade fair runs on the same underlying Bifixit platform that gives any seller a priced catalog, a shareable shop link, and real checkout settling to their own verified bank account, no coding required, so registering sets that up for you if you don't already have it.

Categories and Eligibility

What categories are available? Fashion, Beauty, Electronics, Food & Groceries, Home & Living, and more.

Do I need a CAC number? Nigerian vendors with a valid CAC business registration number get priority slot allocation. It's not a hard requirement to register, but it does affect how good a time slot you're offered.

What about NAFDAC? A NAFDAC number is required if you're selling food, cosmetics, drugs, or medical devices, regardless of whether you're a Nigerian or international vendor.

During the Event

How does selling actually work in a slot? You broadcast live at your scheduled time; buyers watching the stream can check out directly inside it, no switching apps or waiting on a DM reply.

Can I use a pre-recorded video? No. Streams must be genuinely live — looping recorded video is prohibited.

What can't I sell? Tobacco, alcohol, weapons, counterfeit goods, prescription drugs, and adult content are all prohibited regardless of category.

Do I get any promotional help? Yes — vendors get creative promotional materials including event graphics, countdown assets, and caption templates, and every go-live moment auto-posts automatically to Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Are there video platform fees? No. The event runs on Bifixit's own self-hosted livestream infrastructure, so there are zero per-minute or per-viewer video platform fees.

Delivery and After the Event

How fast is delivery? Same-city orders target 24 hours; international orders target up to 7 days. Nigerian buyer payments settle directly.

Does my shop disappear after the weekend? No. The shop and slot replay stay live and sellable after the event ends, so sales don't stop when the two days are over.

Where do I register? At bifixit.com/tradefair.

Technical Requirements

What do I actually need to broadcast a slot? A smartphone with a decent rear camera, a stable internet connection, and enough light to see the product clearly. You don't need studio equipment to participate, though a basic light source and a simple phone stand make a real difference to how steady and watchable your stream looks compared to someone holding the phone freehand for twenty minutes.

What happens if my connection drops mid-slot? Since streams must be genuinely live, a dropped connection interrupts the current broadcast. Reconnect as fast as you can and pick up where you left off; a brief, honest interruption is not the same thing as looping a pre-recorded video, which stays prohibited regardless of the reason.

Can I test my setup before the actual event weekend? Running a practice stream on your own social channels before 12 December is a sensible way to check your lighting, framing, and connection stability without the pressure of an audience that's there specifically to buy.

Payments, Returns, and Money Questions

How do I actually get paid? Nigerian buyer payments settle directly, meaning money from a sale reaches your verified bank account through Bifixit's own checkout, rather than through cash-on-delivery or a manual transfer arrangement you'd have to chase down yourself.

What if a buyer wants to return an item bought during the fair? Standard Bifixit shop policies for returns and disputes apply during the trade fair the same way they do the rest of the year; the event changes how buyers discover your shop, not the underlying rules for handling a completed sale.

Is the registration fee refundable if I can't make my slot? Treat registration as securing your category access and platform slot for the full event window rather than one fixed appointment you either show up to or lose entirely. If your circumstances change, check the specifics on the registration page directly rather than assuming either way.

Common First-Timer Mistakes

The most common mistake isn't a technical one — it's registering the week before the fair and hoping the stock, pricing, and shop page sort themselves out under pressure. Vendors who do best treat registration as the start of a six-to-eight week runway: get the CAC and, where relevant, NAFDAC paperwork in order early, build the catalog before the rush, and use the weeks before 12 December to practice a stream rather than debugging one live in front of buyers.

Still have a question this guide didn't cover? The registration page at bifixit.com/tradefair has the rest.