The 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) opened in Algiers on September 4, drawing record participation as African leaders seek to accelerate continental economic integration through trade and investment.
The week-long event, running until September 10, has attracted over 35,000 participants and more than 2,000 exhibitors from across the globe, with organizers targeting over $44 billion in trade and investment commitments – surpassing the $43 billion achieved at the 2023 edition in Cairo.
A record 140 African countries are participating in exhibitions, the highest number since the fair’s inception in 2018, signaling growing continental commitment to intra-African trade development.
Nigeria Selected as 2027 Host
In a major announcement during the opening ceremony, Nigeria was revealed as the host country for IATF2027. Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole formally accepted the hosting mandate on behalf of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The selection continues the fair’s tradition of rotating across different African regions, following previous editions in Cairo (2018), Durban (2021), and Cairo again (2023).
Institutional Independence
IATF organizers announced plans to establish the trade fair as an independent continental institution with permanent headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe. Afreximbank, which initiated the IATF project in 2018, has approved $28 million in initial capitalization for the new entity.
“After 4 events and almost 8 years, it is time to institutionalize the initiative and lessen the burden on Afreximbank and its collaborating partners,” said Prof. Benedict Oramah, Afreximbank President, in his final address to the fair as the bank’s leader.
Theme Focuses on Sustainable Growth
This year’s theme, “Boosting Intra-African Trade for a Sustainable Future: Innovation, Value Addition, and Green Industrialization,” reflects the continent’s push toward processing raw materials locally rather than exporting unfinished commodities.
African Union Deputy Chairperson Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi emphasized the urgent need for transformation: “We speak of industrialization, but our ambition will remain words on a page unless African industries have access to power, roads, logistics, and digital connectivity.”
Kenya Outlines Infrastructure Push
Kenya’s Deputy President Kithure Kindiki used the platform to highlight his country’s major infrastructure investments supporting regional trade integration. These include the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSET) corridor, standard gauge railway extensions, and a 100,000-kilometer fiber optic expansion program.
“We are investing in infrastructure, in the digital superhighway, and also investing in modernizing our financial services to facilitate trade,” H.E Prof. Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President to Kenya told the gathering, noting that 24,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables have already been installed.
He also mentioned that Kenya is developing one-stop border points with Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia to streamline cross-border trade processes.
Trade Growth Momentum
The fair opens against a backdrop of growing intra-African trade, which reached $220.3 billion in 2024 – a 12.4% increase from 2023, according to Afreximbank’s African Trade Report 2025.
However, intra-African trade still represents only 15% of the continent’s total trade, compared to 68% for European countries and 58% for Asian nations. Africa’s overall contribution to global trade remains at just 2.9%.
AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene noted that while primary commodities still dominate African trade, there is clear growth in machinery, motor vehicles, food products, chemicals, and electronics – signaling a gradual shift toward industrial diversification.
Major Deals Expected
Previous IATF editions have generated significant business outcomes. The 2018 Cairo fair facilitated the $2.9 billion Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project between Egyptian contractors and Tanzania. The 2021 Durban edition achieved $42 billion in commitments despite the global pandemic.
At the 2023 Cairo fair, Mauritanian company SAMAPECHE secured a €12 million deal that enabled it to build a fish processing factory and increase exports by over 65%.
Focus on Youth and Innovation
The fair features a Youth Start-Up Pavilion showcasing 63 start-ups with innovative solutions, along with masterclasses on venture capital and investment readiness. The program is delivered in collaboration with Algeria’s Ministry of Start-Ups.
An African Women in Processing Pavilion (AWIP) highlights female entrepreneurs in value-addition sectors, supporting the AU’s goal of inclusive economic transformation.
Challenges Remain
Despite growing momentum, significant obstacles persist. Many delegates had to transit through European cities to reach Algiers, illustrating ongoing connectivity challenges across the continent.
The newly launched AfCFTA Adjustment Fund aims to address integration challenges by cushioning short-term revenue losses and helping private sectors adapt to new trade arrangements.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chairs the IATF Advisory Council, framed the gathering as more than a trade event: “IATF is a symbol of Africa’s economic awakening, where the power of trade and investment unifies us from across regions of the African continent.”
The combined trade and investment commitments from the first three IATF editions have exceeded $120 billion, with this year’s Algiers edition expected to push the cumulative total above $160 billion.
The IATF2025 continues through September 10 with exhibitions, policy dialogues, and networking sessions aimed at strengthening intra-African trade relationships.
