Johannesburg – Nigeria will host the 2027 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), cementing its role as a key player in Africa’s trade integration drive after previous editions of the biennial event generated more than $118 billion in investment and trade deals.
AfricaHeadline Reports Team
editorial@africaheadline.com
The announcement came in Algiers, where the 2025 edition is underway. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chairs the IATF Advisory Council, presented the host’s flag to Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Aduwole, confirming Abuja as the venue for the fair’s fifth edition.
Since its launch in Cairo in 2018, IATF has rotated across Egypt, South Africa, and Algeria, growing into the continent’s largest trade and investment marketplace.
Cairo 2018: Established the platform, drawing over 1,000 exhibitors.
Durban 2021: Despite the pandemic, transactions exceeded $40 billion.
Cairo 2023: Strengthened regional supply chains, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing.
Algiers 2025: Currently attracting thousands of delegates, with energy and digital trade dominating the agenda.
Over its first three editions, the fair has hosted more than 70,000 visitors and 4,500 exhibitors, underscoring its pull as a catalyst for Africa’s integration.
Nigeria becomes the fourth country to stage the fair, following Egypt, South Africa, and Algeria. With 220 million people and Africa’s largest GDP, Nigeria’s hosting signals both scale and ambition.
“This is not just a trade fair, it is a journey across our continent,” Obasanjo said, framing IATF as a tool to unlock opportunities within AfCFTA’s $3.5 trillion market.
For Nigeria, the event is also a platform to accelerate diversification away from oil, expand industrial output, and deepen regional supply chains.
Deals: From a cumulative $118 billion (2018–2025), projections suggest Nigeria’s edition could generate $50–70 billion in fresh transactions.
Exhibitors: Expected to surpass 5,000, compared with 4,500 previously.
Visitors: Forecasts indicate more than 80,000 participants, above the 70,000 benchmark.
Focus: Earlier fairs leaned on agriculture and manufacturing; Nigeria is set to highlight infrastructure, fintech, and green energy, aligning with policy shifts and investor appetite.
Outgoing Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah described IATF as a “herculean task” born out of the bank’s 2016 Intra-African Trade Strategy. Mobilizing governments, corporates, and financiers, the event has become the operational anchor for AfCFTA, lowering barriers and scaling African trade.
If Nigeria delivers, IATF2027 could mark a step-change in intra-African trade volumes and investor sentiment. The fair’s success would reinforce Africa’s ability to shift from raw commodity dependency to diversified, trade-driven growth, a narrative closely watched by global investors.
