The opening ceremony of IATF2025 was presided over by Algerian President H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune and attended by heads of state, government officials, and business leaders from Africa and the Caribbean.
The host country announcement was made by H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the IATF Advisory Council and former President of Nigeria, who presented the IATF host's flag to Nigeria's Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole. "IATF is not just a trade fair it is a journey across our continent and global Africa, carried forward by nations that share in the vision of Intra-African trade and regional integration. Since its inception, IATF has rotated across our continent, leaving its unique legacy and improving with each host nation," Obasanjo said. "Today, we continue this proud tradition by announcing Nigeria as the country that will host IATF2027."
The IATF, held every two years, is Africa's largest trade and investment event. It is co-convened by the African Export-Import Bank Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA Secretariat. This year's edition, as in previous iterations, brought together over 112,000 participants and generated more than US48 billion in trade deals. It welcomed over 2,100 exhibitors and 20 Heads of State underscoring the growing importance of intra-African trade and creative industries in driving economic growth.