By Bassey Udo
Over $50 billion has been set as the target for the total value of trade and investment deals to be harvested when the 5th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2027) holds between November 5 and 11, 2027.
The Fair to be hosted by Nigeria under the theme: “Global Africa, Smart Trade: From Market Access to Market Power” is expected to attract 100,000 visitors, 2,500 exhibitors, and participation from more than 100 countries.
Previously when the 4th edition of the Fair was hosted by Algeria, a total value of $49.94 billion in trade and investment deals were recorded.
At the hosting right agreement signing ceremony in Lagos, which was designated as the ‘host city’, it was disclosed that the Fair would be organised by Nigeria in partnership with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, to reinforce Nigeria’s central role in advancing Intra-African trade and economic integration across the continent.
The Fair is expected to feature various programmes, including trade exhibitions; AfCFTA-focused trade and investment forum; the Global Africa Day to strengthen ties with Africa’s Diaspora; a Business-to-Business as well as Business-to-Government platforms and Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) to showcase Africa’s creative economy.
Other programmes planned for the Fair include the Sub-Sovereign Governments Network for regional and local governments integration; special days for participating countries, public and private sectors to showcase their trade and investment potentials, tourism and cultural highlights; Africa Automotive Show; AU Youth Start-up pavilion for African youth start-ups, and the Africa Research & Innovation Hub (ARIH) for academia and researchers.
Since the Fair began 2018, the organisers said the IATF has cumulatively generated over $167 billion in trade and investment deals, attracted more than 180,000 visitors from 132 countries.
The organisers said the strategic partnership availed by the Fair creates a uniquely African framework that blends policy direction, financial backing, and trade facilitation, while IATF benefits from continent-wide institutional alignment has set it apart in both structure and purpose.
At the agreement signing ceremony, Chairperson of the IATF2027 Advisory Council and former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, underscored the strategic importance of the Fair in shaping Africa’s economic sovereignty.
“The signing of this host agreement marks a momentous milestone for Nigeria and for the continent. 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,” 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,” he added.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, acknowledged Nigeria’s expanding footprints in intra-African commerce, and highlighted Nigeria’s rising contribution to continental trade flows.
“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.
“The work ahead of us under the AfCFTA is 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 assured.
Noting Nigeria’s enduring partnership and leadership in advancing intra-African trade, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, Dr. George Elombi, hailed government’s commitment to the AfCFTA vision, adding that Nigeria’s scale, entrepreneurial depth, and industrial capacity make it a natural host for the 2027 edition.
“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. 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.
Nigeria, he said, remains central to the success of AfCFTA, not only because of its market size, but also due to its resource base and industrial potential.
As a leading producer of oil and gas, solid minerals, including limestone, iron ore, gold, and lithium, and key agricultural commodities, Elombi said Nigeria combines industrial capacity with a vibrant SME sector and a dynamic role in intra-African trade.
This unique mix, he pointed out, positions Nigeria to drive value chains that power regional integration and strengthen the continent’s economic resilience.
Describing Nigeria as a major contributor to African Union growth and regional economic transformation, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, Francisca Tatchoup Belobe, highlighted the importance of aligning industrial policy, mineral development, and trade facilitation to unlock Africa’s full potential.
She recalled that when the IATF was launched in 2018, it represented a bold experiment in connectivity, adding that it was not only a commercial event, but rather a strategic tool to increase intra-African trade, which remains stubbornly low.
As preparations are on for the 5th edition of the IATF, she said steps must be taken to 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.
Reflecting on the broader continental impact, Director of Private Sector Engagement and Communications at AfCFTA Secretariat, Cynthia E. Gnassingbé-Essonam, who represented Secretary General, AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, emphasised that Nigeria’s host of IATF2027 reinforces collective efforts to operationalise the AfCFTA and deepen regional value chains.
The signing of the agreement on the hosting right, she noted, marked an important milestone in the collective efforts to advance the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The IATF, she said, 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, she noted, was both timely and significant, adding that she was confident that it would deliver an impactful trade fair that reflects the ambition of the AfCFTA and the aspirations of African businesses,” she said.