Nigeria on Monday signed the hosting agreement for the Fifth IntraAfrican Trade Fair (IATF2027), officially taking over from Algeria, which hosted the fourth edition that generated US$49.94 billion in trade and investment deals.
The signing ceremony in Lagos, the designated host city, was done in partnership with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Scheduled for November 5 to 11, 2027, IATF aims to secure US$50 billion in trade and investment deals, attract 100,000 visitors, host 2,500 exhibitors, and welcome participants from over 100 countries.
The theme: “Global Africa Repositioned – From Market Access to Market,” will frame diverse programmes including trade exhibitions, AfCFTAfocused forums, Global Africa Day, B2B and B2G platforms, and Creative Africa Nexus.
Other side events are the Sub Sovereign Governments Network, country and sector showcase, Africa Automotive Show, AU Youth Startup Pavilion, and the Africa Research and Innovation Hub.
Since its inception in 2018, the IATF has cumulatively generated US$167 billion in trade and investment deals and attracted more than 180,000 visitors from 132 countries, establishing itself as Africa’s premier marketplace.
Delivering the opening remarks, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Chairperson of the IATF2027 Advisory Council, underscored the Fair’s role in shaping Africa’s economic sovereignty.
“Bringing IATF2027 to Lagos is historically significant, as this city hosted the Lagos Plan of Action, which championed Africa’s industrialisation and economic selfsufficiency,” he said.
“We have to work hard to keep moving towards the Africa we want. I am confident that IATF2027 will surpass all previous editions in both scope and impact as we advance our shared goal for a unified African marketplace under the AfCFTA.”
Dr George Elombi, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, praised Nigeria’s leadership, noting that its vibrant entrepreneurial spirit would build confidence for a remarkable and strengthened trade and investment across the continent.
“When we proclaimed Nigeria as the next host of the IntraAfrican Trade Fair, we all knew that an elephant had been sighted, and a very mighty one at that,” Dr Elombi stated.
He explained that the trade fair was about building a strong panAfrican single market and expanding intraAfrican trade beyond the current, calling for a collective duty to use the platform to build value chains, create jobs and generate prosperity for its people.
“When Africans decide to work together, as they will at IATF2027, the opportunities for transformation are limitless,” the Afreximbank President said.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, highlighted the country’s rising contribution to intra-continental trade, while admitting the challenges in the international trading system.
“The work ahead of us under the AfCFTA is not only expansive, it is existential for our survival and prosperity. IATF2027 will, therefore, be a defining moment in accelerating and transforming intraAfrican trade and investment. Together, we must align our markets, our industries and our talent to deliver the prosperous Africa we envision,” he said.
Madam Cynthia Gnassingbé ‑Essonam, Director of Private Sector Engagement at the AfCFTA Secretariat, emphasised that the IATF2027 marked an important milestone in Africa’s collective efforts to advance the objectives of the AfCFTA.
She told the gathering that the success of the AfCFTA would depend not only on rules and agreements, but on practical platforms that enabled African businesses to trade with one another.
She stated that the IntraAfrican Trade Fair had established itself as Africa’s premier marketplace for trade and investment, bringing together businesses, investors and policymakers from across the continent and the diaspora.
“Nigeria’s hosting of IATF2027 is both timely and significant, and we are confident it will deliver an impactful trade fair that reflects the ambition of the AfCFTA and the aspirations of African businesses,” Madam Gnassingbé ‑Essonam noted.
Madam Francisca Tatchoup Belobe, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, called for alignment of industrial policy and trade facilitation across the continent.
She said the launch of the IATF in 2018 was a bold experiment in connectivity, serving as a commercial and strategic tool to increase intraAfrican trade, which remained low despite efforts.
“As we prepare for the fifth edition of the IATF, we must ensure that it propels intraAfrican trade and helps Africa reposition itself in the global trade landscape. Let us make IATF2027 a defining moment that ignites new momentum for Africa’s investment, industrialisation and trade,” she added.