How Nigerian Firms Are Tapping AfCFTA to Dominate African Trade
Nigeria is Accelerating AfCFTA Implementation to promote Intra-African Trade at IATF2025 Roadshow. Nigeria is actively pursuing the swift implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to unlock significant opportunities for domestic businesses across the continent. This initiative was a key focus during the recent Nigeria IATF2025 Business Roadshow, attended by government officials, trade community representatives, business leaders, and investors.
Speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, highlighted the positive trajectory of intra-African trade. “Intra-African trade exports grew by over 13% from last year, supported by new trade corridors and the initial success of AfCFTA’s guideline initiatives,” Minister Oduwole stated. She noted that Nigerian businesses are already prominent participants, exporting various products including ceramics, garments, pharmaceuticals, and agro-products across Africa.
Minister Oduwole also emphasised the growing importance of the creative economy as a trade frontier, citing platforms like Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) led by Afreximbank as evidence that African culture is “bankable, not just beautiful.”
The roadshow, which drew over 700 attendees, focused on promoting intra-African trade under the theme: ‘Harnessing Regional and Continental Value Chains: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation and Global Competitiveness through AfCFTA.’
Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Nigeria
The Nigeria event is one of five high-level roadshows being held in key African cities – including Nairobi, Accra, Johannesburg, and Algiers – in preparation for the fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF). The biennial IATF2025 is scheduled to take place in Algiers, Algeria, from 4 to 10 September 2025, under the theme ‘Gateway to New Opportunities’. IATF is recognised as Africa’s premier trade and investment event, serving as a crucial platform for fostering economic growth, collaboration, and innovation across the continent.
Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), addressed the forum, describing IATF as an unparalleled platform for the exchange of trade and investment information and “Africa’s marketplace of ideas, opportunities, and partnerships.”
“With frameworks like AfCFTA and platforms like IATF, we now have the tools to bridge the trade gap, boost intra-African trade, and tremendously grow our economies in a sustainable and inclusive way,” Ms Ayeni remarked. She stressed the need to build structured, sustainable, and competitive value chains to power inclusive growth in Nigeria and across Africa, acknowledging AfCFTA’s potential as the world’s largest single market connecting 1.3 billion people across 54 countries.
Adding to this, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President for Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, highlighted the tangible results achieved through the trade fair. “In just three editions, IATF has achieved what once felt aspirational: over $100 billion in trade and investment deals, more than 70,000 participants, and 4,500+ exhibitors from across 130 countries,” Mrs Awani stated. She described IATF as “Africa’s trade engine, designed to connect our producers, unlock demand, and operationalise the promise of the AfCFTA.” Mrs Awani specifically praised Nigeria’s consistent leadership and participation, noting that Nigerian enterprises generated over $11 billion in signed deals at IATF2023 alone, the highest among participating countries. The previous edition in Cairo attracted nearly 2,000 exhibitors from 65 countries and generated US$43.7 billion in trade and investment deals.
IATF2025 is set to feature a comprehensive programme including a trade exhibition, the CANEX programme focusing on the creative economy, a four-day Trade and Investment Forum with leading speakers, and the Africa Automotive Show. Special Days will be dedicated to countries, entities, and Global Africa Day to showcase opportunities and cultural ties. The event will also facilitate business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) matchmaking, feature the AU Youth Start-Up programme and the Africa Research and Innovation Hub, and include the African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) activities. An interactive online platform, IATF Virtual, is already operational, connecting exhibitors and visitors year-round. To participate in IATF2025, interested parties can visit www.IntraAfricanTradeFair.com.
The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF)
The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, serves as a unique platform designed to facilitate the exchange of trade and investment information. This facilitation is aimed at supporting and enhancing intra-African trade and investment, particularly within the framework of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The IATF convenes key actors from both the African continent and globally. These participants are afforded the opportunity to showcase and exhibit their respective goods and services, while also exploring potential business and investment prospects across Africa. Furthermore, it furnishes a platform for disseminating pertinent trade, investment, and market intelligence among stakeholders. Participants are also enabled to deliberate upon and ascertain effective solutions to the impediments currently facing intra-African trade and investment. Beyond African participants, the Trade Fair extends its invitation to businesses and investors originating from non-African nations. This is specifically aimed at those demonstrating an interest in conducting commercial activities within Africa and contributing to the continent’s transformative progress via industrialisation and the advancement of exports.
