Nigeria To Host The 2027 Intra-African Trade Fair – IATF2027
Following a thorough bidding and due diligence process, Nigeria has been selected as the successful host nation for the fifth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), which is Africa’s leading trade and investment event scheduled for 2027, IATF2027.
This announcement was made by the Chairman of the IATF Advisory Council, who is also a former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, during the official opening ceremony of the fourth edition of the fair, IATF2025, currently taking place in Algiers, Algeria.
While presenting the IATF host flag to Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Aduwole, as a formal acceptance of the mandate to host IATF2027, H.E. Obasanjo stated: “IATF is not merely a trade fair—it represents a journey across our continent and global Africa, propelled by nations that share the vision of Intra-African trade and regional integration. Since its inception, IATF has moved across our continent, leaving behind a unique legacy and improving with each host nation. Today, we uphold this proud tradition by declaring Nigeria as the host country for IATF2027.”
The weeklong IATF occurs biennially and is co-convened by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. It serves as a platform for businesses to present their goods and services to visitors and buyers while exploring opportunities and exchanging information. IATF aims to leverage opportunities from AfCFTA’s single market, which encompasses over 1.4 billion people and a GDP exceeding US$3.5 trillion.
Nigeria has become the fourth nation to host the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF). The inaugural edition took place in Cairo, Egypt, in 2018, followed by the second edition in Durban, South Africa, in 2021. The third edition returned to Cairo in 2023, leading up to the current fourth edition being held in Algiers. The last three editions of the IATF have collectively generated over $118 billion in trade and investment agreements, attracting more than 70,000 visitors and 4,500 exhibitors.
Reflecting on the journey of the IATF, Prof. Benedict Oramah, the outgoing President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, stated, “The journey we embarked on in 2017, when we initiated planning for the inaugural Trade Fair held in November 2018, was a strategic initiative stemming from Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade Strategy, which was launched in 2016. The monumental task of transforming vision into reality, mobilizing African nations, thousands of exhibitors, buyers, and sponsors for an event of this scale was only achievable due to the robust support Afreximbank received from numerous stakeholders.”
The official inauguration ceremony of IATF2025 was led by H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. It was attended by thousands of delegates, including heads of state and government from Africa and the Caribbean, alongside business leaders and industry captains.
About the Intra-African Trade Fair:
The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, aims to provide a distinctive platform for facilitating the exchange of trade and investment information to bolster intra-African trade and investment, particularly in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The IATF unites continental and global stakeholders to showcase and exhibit their products and services while exploring business and investment opportunities across the continent.
It also offers a platform for sharing trade, investment, and market information with stakeholders, enabling participants to engage in discussions and identify solutions to the challenges facing intra-African trade and investment. Furthermore, the Trade Fair welcomes not only African participants but also businesses and investors from non-African countries who are interested in conducting business in Africa and contributing to the continent’s transformation through industrialization and export development.
