Nigeria has signed the IATF2027 Nigeria host agreement, confirming Lagos as host of Africa’s largest trade fair in 2027. The signing ceremony took place in Lagos on 9 March 2026. Nigeria partnered with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Algeria hosted the previous edition in 2025. That event recorded US$49.94 billion in trade and investment deals. The IATF2027 Nigeria host agreement carries historic weight. Lagos hosted the Lagos Plan of Action in 1980, which called for Africa’s industrial growth and self-reliance.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chair of the IATF2027 Advisory Council, described the signing as a milestone. “Bringing IATF2027 to Lagos is historically significant,” he said. “We must keep moving towards the Africa we want.”
Organisers expect the 2027 edition to generate more than US$50 billion in deals. They also anticipate 100,000 visitors and 2,500 exhibitors from over 100 countries.
The fair will run from 5 to 11 November 2027. It will operate under the theme “Global Africa, Smart Trade – From Market Access to Market Power.”
The programme will include trade exhibitions and investment forums. It will also host business-to-business and business-to-government platforms.
Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) will spotlight the creative economy. The Africa Automotive Show and AU Youth Start-up Pavilion will showcase innovation. The Africa Research and Innovation Hub will bring academia into the discussion.
Since 2018, IATF has generated over US$167 billion in cumulative trade and investment deals. More than 180,000 visitors from 132 countries have attended previous editions.
Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the fair comes at a crucial time. “The global trading system faces profound challenges,” she said. “We must stay committed to rules-based trade.”
She described IATF2027 as a platform to accelerate AfCFTA implementation. Nigeria’s size gives it strategic weight. It is Africa’s most populous country and one of its largest economies.
The country produces oil and gas. It also mines limestone, iron ore, gold and lithium. Agriculture remains another key pillar. This mix of resources and entrepreneurship positions Nigeria to drive regional value chains.
Dr George Elombi, President of Afreximbank, called Nigeria a natural host. “Nigeria’s entrepreneurial spirit gives us confidence,” he said. “IATF2027 will strengthen trade and investment across the continent.”
AU Commissioner Francisca Tatchoup Belobe said the fair must help boost intra-African trade, which remains relatively low. “When we launched IATF in 2018, it was a bold experiment,” she said. “It aimed to increase trade within Africa.”
Cynthia Gnassingbé-Essonam, representing AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene, described the agreement as a milestone. “The Intra-African Trade Fair is Africa’s premier marketplace for trade and investment,” she said.
The AfCFTA is moving from negotiation to implementation. Countries are aligning tariffs and customs systems. IATF2027 offers a practical platform to support those reforms. It connects policymakers, financiers and businesses in one space.
For Nigeria, hosting IATF2027 strengthens its leadership role. For Africa, it signals steady progress toward a unified single market.
