The fourth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) concluded in Algiers, Algeria, with a record $48.3 billion worth of trade and investment deals signed. Organisers say the outcome reflects the growing confidence in Africa’s ability to harness the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a platform for industrialisation, regional trade and investment partnerships.
Held from September 4 to 10, the weeklong fair attracted more than 112,000 visitors both physically and virtually, representing 132 countries. In total, 958 buyers and 2,148 exhibitors took part in the event, which was jointly organised by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat.
The opening ceremony was addressed by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and attended by fourteen Heads of State and Government, forty-one ministers and deputy ministers, as well as senior representatives of governments and businesses. The programme included exhibitions by countries and companies, high-level trade and investment forums, the Creative Africa Nexus which highlighted fashion, music, film and other creative industries, as well as the Africa Automotive Show.
Algeria emerged as the biggest winner of the fair, accounting for $11.4 billion of the total deals signed, representing almost a quarter of the contracts. Additional commitments worth $11.6 billion for Algerian companies are expected to be finalised after the fair. Organisers said Algerian firms used the platform to showcase products, attract investment and establish long-term partnerships in support of AfCFTA implementation.
At the closing ceremony, former Nigerian President and Chair of the IATF2025 Advisory Council, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, praised the fair as a turning point for African integration. “Through vibrant exchanges and partnerships, IATF2025 has exceeded our expectations and now stands as the biggest ever. It has sown the seed of future prosperity for our shared vision of an economically integrated Africa,” he said.
Key outcomes announced included the institutionalisation of the trade fair as a stand-alone treaty-based entity called the Intra-African Trade Fair Council (IATFCO) with its headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe. Organisers also confirmed Lagos, Nigeria, as the host city for the next IATF in 2027, with Nigeria’s Trade Minister Dr. Jumoke Oduwole receiving the official hosting flag. In addition, Calabar in Cross River State was named as the venue for the 2026 African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference, with Governor Bassey Edet Otu signing the hosting agreement on behalf of the state.
IATF2025 has raised the bar for future trade fairs by creating one of the most dynamic platforms for intra-African trade, investment and cultural exchange. The fair is expected to drive new industrial opportunities, strengthen value chains across the continent and accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA.
