Nigeria will host the fifth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2027) in Lagos in November 2027, with organisers targeting more than $50 billion in trade and investment deals as Africa accelerates efforts to deepen intra-continental commerce.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria signed the host country agreement on Tuesday, formally taking over from Algeria, which hosted the fourth edition of the fair that generated $49.94 billion in trade and investment deals.
The agreement was signed in Lagos — the designated host city — in partnership with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Scheduled for November 5–11, 2027, IATF2027 is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors, 2,500 exhibitors, and participants from more than 100 countries, reinforcing Nigeria’s role in advancing intra-African trade and economic integration.
The event will be held under the theme “Global Africa, Smart Trade – From Market Access to Market Power.”
The week-long fair will feature a wide range of programmes, including trade exhibitions, an AfCFTA-focused trade and investment forum, and Global Africa Day, aimed at strengthening ties between Africa and its diaspora.
Other activities will include business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) networking platforms, the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme showcasing Africa’s creative industries, the Sub-Sovereign Governments Network for regional and local government collaboration, and country-specific showcase days highlighting trade, tourism, and cultural opportunities.
Additional highlights will include the Africa Automotive Show, an AU Youth Start-up pavilion supporting African entrepreneurs, and the Africa Research & Innovation Hub (ARIH) designed for academic and research collaboration.
Since its launch in 2018, the Intra-African Trade Fair has emerged as a major platform for boosting trade across the continent. Across its first four editions, the fair has collectively generated over $167 billion in trade and investment deals and attracted more than 180,000 visitors from 132 countries.
Organisers say the initiative represents a uniquely African framework that combines policy direction, financial backing, and trade facilitation through cooperation among continental institutions.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chairs the IATF2027 Advisory Council, described the agreement as a major step in advancing Africa’s economic sovereignty.
“The signing of this host agreement marks a momentous milestone for Nigeria and for the continent,” Obasanjo said during the ceremony.
“Bringing IATF2027 to Lagos is historically significant, as this city hosted the Lagos Plan of Action adopted in 1980, which championed Africa’s industrialisation and economic self-sufficiency.”
“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,” he added.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the event would come at a critical time for global trade and for Africa’s economic transformation.
“Today, as the international trading system faces profound challenges, we must remain resolute in our commitment to mutually beneficial, rules-based trade,” she said.
“As we prepare to host Africa’s largest marketplace in Lagos in 2027, we have an opportunity not only to reflect on our reality but to design the future of African trade integration and economic transformation.”
Oduwole added that the work required under the AfCFTA was “not only expansive but also existential for our survival and prosperity.”
“IATF 2027 will therefore be a defining moment in accelerating and transforming intra-African trade and investment. Together, we must align our markets, our industries and our talent to deliver the prosperous Africa we envision,” she said.
Dr George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, praised Nigeria’s leadership in advancing intra-African trade and said the country’s economic scale made it an ideal host.
“Nigeria’s vibrant entrepreneurial spirit gives us confidence that IATF2027 in Lagos will be a remarkable event that strengthens trade and investment across the continent,” he said.
“The trade fair is about building a strong pan-African single market and expanding intra-African trade beyond the levels we see today.”
“Our collective duty is to use this platform to build value chains, create jobs and generate prosperity for our people. When Africans decide to work together, as they will at IATF 2027, the opportunities for transformation are limitless,” he added.
Nigeria’s role in the success of the AfCFTA is seen as critical due to its large market size, vast resource base and expanding industrial capacity.
The country is a major producer of oil and gas, as well as solid minerals such as limestone, iron ore, gold and lithium, while also being a key producer of agricultural commodities. Combined with a vibrant small and medium enterprise sector, this economic base positions Nigeria to drive value chains that support regional integration.
Francisca Tatchoup Belobe, African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, said the fair would help address Africa’s relatively low levels of intra-continental trade.
“When we launched the IATF in 2018, it was a bold experiment in connectivity,” she said.
“It was not only a commercial event, but rather a strategic tool to increase intra-African trade, which remains stubbornly low.”
“As we prepare for the fifth edition of the IATF, we must ensure that it propels intra-African trade and helps Africa reposition itself in the global trade landscape.”
Belobe said the 2027 edition should aim high given Nigeria’s position as Africa’s most populous country and one of its largest economies.
“Let us make IATF 2027 a defining moment that ignites new momentum for Africa’s investment, industrialisation and trade,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, Cynthia E. Gnassingbé-Essonam, Director of Private Sector Engagement and Communications at the AfCFTA Secretariat, said Nigeria’s hosting of the event would support efforts to operationalise the continental trade pact.
“Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone in our collective efforts to advance the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” she said.
“The Intra-African Trade Fair has 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 host of IATF 2027 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,” she added.
