Nigeria has been named the host country for the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027, with Lagos as the host city. The announcement was made by Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president and chair of the IATF 2025 Advisory Council, during the opening ceremony of the ongoing 2025 edition in Algiers, Algeria.
He said the tradition of rotating the IATF across the continent strengthens regional integration and leaves lasting legacies in each host nation.
“The IATF is not just a trade fair. It is a journey across our continent and global Africa, a journey of shared vision for intra-African trade and regional integration,” he said.
Obasanjo described the IATF as more than just an event, calling it a symbol of Africa’s economic awakening and a powerful engine of trade expansion and investment flows across the continent.
He commended President Abdelmadjid Tebboune for his leadership and vision in advancing development across energy, healthcare, industrialisation, agribusiness, technology, and innovation. He said the IATF has become the most important trade and investment gathering in Africa, uniting governments, investors, innovators, and businesses, while bringing to life the ambition of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The IATF has proven to be a powerful engine for trade expansion and investment flows. The previous three editions generated combined trade and investment deals exceeding 120 billion dollars,” Obasanjo said. He noted that this year’s edition is set to be the biggest yet, with 48 African countries exhibiting the largest participation since the IATF began in 2018.
He recalled the landmark 2018 Cairo edition where Africa’s largest intra-African Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) deal was sealed, a 2.9 billion dollar hydropower project between Egyptian contractors and the Government of Tanzania, designed to deliver 2,150 MW of clean power and provide reliable electricity for over 60 million Tanzanians. According to him, such transformational projects underline the impact and promise of the IATF.
Obasanjo also praised visionary leaders driving Africa’s development, highlighting the courage and persistence of, as well as recognising the pivotal role of Benedict Oramah, former Afreximbank President, whom he described as the man who started and continues to drive the IATF. “On behalf of the Advisory Council and all of us, we appreciate you. We thank you,” he said.
