The Federal Government has signed an agreement to host the 2027 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Lagos, positioning Nigeria as the venue for one of Africa’s largest trade and investment gatherings.
The hosting agreement was signed with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat during a ceremony held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the trade fair represents a key platform for strengthening economic cooperation and expanding intra-African commerce under the AfCFTA framework.
She said, “Today, as the international trading system faces profound challenges, we must remain resolute in our commitment to mutually beneficial, rules-based trade.”
Oduwole added that hosting the event offers Nigeria an opportunity to shape the future of trade integration on the continent.
According to her, “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.”
Director of Private Sector Engagement and Communications at the AfCFTA Secretariat, Cynthia Gnassingbé-Essonam, described the fair as Africa’s premier marketplace for trade and investment, bringing together businesses, investors and policymakers from across the continent and the diaspora.
She noted, “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 is a biennial event designed to promote trade, investment and partnerships among African countries. Previous editions have generated billions of dollars in trade deals, with the 2025 fair in Algiers recording about $48.3 billion in transactions.
The 2027 edition, scheduled to hold from November 5 to 11, 2027, is expected to attract thousands of exhibitors, investors and policymakers from across Africa and beyond, further advancing the continent’s economic integration agenda.
