Nigeria has been officially announced as the host nation for the Intra-African Trade Fair, IATF, 2027, with Lagos named as the host city.
The declaration was made by former Nigerian president and Chair of the IATF 2025 Advisory Council, Olusegun Obasanjo, during the opening ceremony of the ongoing 2025 edition in Algiers, Algeria.
Obasanjo said the tradition of rotating the trade fair across different African countries reinforces regional integration and ensures lasting socio-economic legacies for each host nation.
“The IATF is not just a trade fair. It is a journey across our continent and the global African community, a journey of shared vision for intra-African trade and regional integration,” Obasanjo stated.
Describing the IATF as a symbol of Africa’s economic awakening, Obasanjo stressed that the fair has evolved into a powerful driver of trade expansion and cross-border investment across the continent.
He commended Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune for championing development in critical sectors such as energy, healthcare, industrialisation, agribusiness, technology, and innovation, noting that the IATF has grown into Africa’s most important trade and investment gathering, connecting governments, investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs under the umbrella of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
Highlighting the fair’s economic impact, Obasanjo revealed that the last three editions collectively generated trade and investment deals worth over $120 billion.
He noted that the 2025 edition is set to be the largest yet, with 48 African countries participating, marking the highest level of representation since the IATF’s inception in 2018.
Obasanjo also recalled the landmark 2018 Cairo edition, where Africa’s largest intra-African Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract was signed, a $2.9 billion hydropower deal between Egyptian contractors and the Tanzanian government to deliver 2,150MW of clean energy, benefiting over 60 million Tanzanians. He said such transformational projects exemplify the lasting influence of the IATF.
He applauded visionary African leaders for their courage and commitment to advancing the continent’s development, while also recognising Benedict Oramah, former President of Afreximbank, whom he credited as the pioneer and driving force behind the IATF.
“On behalf of the Advisory Council and all of us, we appreciate you. We thank you,” Obasanjo said.
