The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has joined partners in launching preparations for the 2027 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), which will be hosted in Lagos, Nigeria with officials emphasizing the event’s role as a practical platform for translating the AfCFTA framework into tangible commercial opportunities for African businesses.
The AfCFTA Secretariat participated in the Advisory Council Meeting and Hosting Agreement Signing Ceremony held in Lagos, formalising Nigeria’s commitment to hosting the continent’s premier trade and investment gathering and establishing the institutional framework for delivering what organizers envision as a transformative commercial event.
The Advisory Council, bringing together representatives from the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the Nigerian federal government, Lagos State authorities, and key partners, reviewed comprehensive preparations including strategic direction for the fair, thematic priorities that will shape programming and focus areas, timelines for planning and execution phases, budget allocations and resource mobilisation strategies, and institutional arrangements governing roles and responsibilities among organising partners.
The Director of Private Sector Engagement and Communication, Ms. Cynthia Gnassingbe-Essonam, speaking on behalf of Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, emphasised that the engagement around IATF 2027 “represents an important step in advancing the AfCFTA through practical platforms that connect African businesses, investors, and policymakers.”
The Intra-African Trade Fair has established itself as Africa’s premier trade and investment platform since its inception, bringing together thousands of businesses, government officials, and investors in structured environments designed to facilitate commercial matchmaking, showcase African products and capabilities, attract investment into African productive sectors, and build the business networks that underpin regional value chains.
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