Standing: Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade & Export Development, Afreximbank; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chair, IATF; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State; Lois Ekra, Deputy Chair, IATF and Joseph Ifebunandu, Head, Banking Legal Services, Afreximbank, during the Intra-African Trade Fair 2027 (IATF2027) Host signing ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.
Lagos, Nigeria – March 9, 2026 – Nigeria has officially signed the hosting agreement for the fifth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2027), setting an ambitious target of $50 billion in trade and investment deals when the continent’s premier marketplace convenes in Lagos from November 5–11, 2027.
The announcement follows Algeria’s successful hosting of IATF2025, which recorded nearly $50 billion in trade and investment deals. Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, is now poised to leverage its industrial capacity, entrepreneurial depth, and resource base to drive intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the AfCFTA Secretariat, IATF2027 is expected to attract 100,000 visitors, 2,500 exhibitors, and participation from over 100 countries. The fair will feature trade exhibitions, investment forums, diaspora engagement through Global Africa Day, creative showcases under CANEX, and platforms for youth start-ups, academia, and regional governments.
Former Nigerian President and IATF2027 Advisory Council Chair, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, described the event as “a significant milestone for Nigeria and for the continent,” noting Lagos’ historic role in Africa’s industrialisation agenda.
Afreximbank President, Dr. George Elombi, hailed Nigeria’s entrepreneurial spirit, saying: “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.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, emphasised the fair’s transformative potential: “IATF 2027 will 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.
Since its inception in 2018, the IATF has generated over $167 billion in trade and investment deals and welcomed more than 180,000 visitors from 132 countries.
With Nigeria now at the helm, expectations are high that IATF2027 will surpass all previous editions, cementing Africa’s path toward a unified marketplace and stronger economic sovereignty.
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