The Federal Government of Nigeria has formalised an agreement to host the fifth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair 2027, with Lagos selected as the venue for the continental trade and investment gathering.
The hosting agreement was signed on Tuesday in Lagos in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank, the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat.
The ceremony also signified Nigeria’s official assumption of hosting responsibilities from Algeria, which organised the fourth edition of the trade fair that reportedly generated $49.94 billion in trade and investment deals.
Scheduled to hold from November 5 to 11, 2027, the upcoming fair is expected to attract about 100,000 visitors, more than 2,500 exhibitors and participants from over 100 countries, while targeting approximately $50 billion in trade and investment agreements.
The event will be held under the theme “Global Africa Repositioned – From Market Access to Market” and will feature a wide range of activities including trade exhibitions, an AfCFTA-focused trade and investment forum, Global Africa Day aimed at strengthening links with the African diaspora, as well as business-to-business and business-to-government meetings.
Other programmes lined up include the Creative Africa Nexus showcasing the continent’s creative industries, the Sub-Sovereign Governments Network designed to integrate regional and local governments, country and private sector special days, the Africa Automotive Show, the AU Youth Start-up Pavilion and the Africa Research and Innovation Hub for academics and researchers.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairperson of the IATF2027 Advisory Council and former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, described the agreement as a landmark development for both Nigeria and the African continent.
“The signing of this hosting agreement marks a significant milestone for Nigeria and for the continent. Bringing IATF2027 to Lagos is historically significant, as this city hosted the Lagos Plan of Action 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 said.
President and chairman of the board of directors of African Export-Import Bank, George Elombi, praised Nigeria for its role in promoting intra-African commerce and accepting to host the 2027 edition.
“When we proclaimed Nigeria as the next host of the Intra-African Trade Fair, we all knew that an elephant had been sighted, and a very mighty one at that. Nigeria’s vibrant entrepreneurial spirit gives us confidence that IATF 2027 in Lagos will be a remarkable event that strengthens trade and investment across the continent.
“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 said.
Also speaking, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said hosting the fair presents an opportunity to shape the future of trade integration across Africa.
“Today, as the international trading system faces profound challenges, we must remain resolute in our commitment to mutually beneficial, rules-based trade. 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.
“The work ahead of us under the AfCFTA is not only expansive, but it is 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.
Director of Private Sector Engagement and Communications at the AfCFTA Secretariat, Cynthia E. Gnassingbé-Essonam, said the trade fair has grown into Africa’s foremost marketplace for commerce and investment.
“Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone in our collective efforts to advance the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The success of the AfCFTA will depend not only on rules and agreements, but on practical platforms that enable African businesses to trade with one another.
“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 hosting 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 said.
In her remarks, the African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, Francisca Belobe, noted that the initiative would help strengthen Africa’s position in global trade.
“When we launched the IATF in 2018, it was a bold experiment in connectivity. 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. We should therefore aim very high in 2027, especially as the IATF takes place in Nigeria, the most populous African country and one of the continent’s largest economies.
“Let us make IATF 2027 a defining moment that ignites new momentum for Africa’s investment, industrialisation and trade,” she said.
Since its launch in 2018, the Intra-African Trade Fair has generated more than $167 billion in trade and investment deals and attracted over 180,000 participants from 132 countries across its first four editions.
