Sign in with Google 
This article was produced with the support of Afreximbank
The opening ceremony of IATF2025 was presided over by Algerian President H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune and attended by heads of state, government officials, and business leaders from Africa and the Caribbean.
The host country announcement was made by H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the IATF Advisory Council and former President of Nigeria, who presented the IATF host’s flag to Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole. “IATF is not just a trade fair; it is a journey across our continent and global Africa, carried forward by nations that share in the vision of Intra-African trade and regional integration. Since its inception, IATF has rotated across our continent, leaving its unique legacy and improving with each host nation,” Obasanjo said. “Today, we continue this proud tradition by announcing Nigeria as the country that will host IATF2027.”
The IATF, held every two years, is Africa’s largest trade and investment event. It is co-convened by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. This year’s edition, as in previous iterations, brought together over 112,000 participants and generated more than US$48 billion in trade deals. It welcomed over 2,100 exhibitors and 20 Heads of State underscoring the growing importance of intra-African trade and creative industries in driving economic growth.
Since its inception in 2018, the IATF has rotated among major African economies. Egypt hosted the inaugural edition in Cairo, followed by South Africa in Durban in 2021. Cairo returned as host in 2023, and Algiers was host of the fourth edition. Nigeria will become the fourth country and the first in West Africa, to host the fair, marking a significant milestone in its trade and investment ambitions.
Speaking in the significance of the announcement, Nonye Ayeni, ED/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council said “it means a great deal for us because it’s actually the first time we are hosting IATF in West Africa. We look forward to it as an opportunity for Nigeria and Nigerians to showcase what they have” before adding that “it’s an opportunity for us to create visibility to our products and I believe it’s going to open up the country economically.”
The fair has proven to be a powerful engine for economic integration. Over the last three editions, IATF has generated more than $118 billion in trade and investment deals and attracted over 70,000 visitors and 4,500 exhibitors. It serves as a key platform for leveraging the AfCFTA’s single market of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of over $3.5 trillion.
Prof. Benedict Oramah, outgoing President and Chairman of Afreximbank, reflected on the fair’s evolution: “The journey we began in 2017, when we started planning for the inaugural Trade Fair, which was held in November 2018, was a strategic move drawn from Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade Strategy, launched in 2016.” Continuing he said “the herculean task of converting vision to reality, mobilising African states, thousands of exhibitors, buyers, and sponsors, among others for an event of such a magnitude was only made possible by the strong support Afreximbank received from many.”
With Nigeria set to host IATF2027, expectations are high for another transformative chapter in Africa’s trade and investment story.
