Nigeria to host IATF2027 with focus on CANEX and Africa’s creative economy

The agreement was signed in Lagos between the Government of Nigeria and partners including the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Nigeria takes over hosting duties from Algeria, which staged the fourth edition of the trade fair.

Organisers expect the 2027 event to attract more than 100 000 visitors, 2,500 exhibitors and participants from over 100 countries. The fair aims to generate more than US$50 billion in trade and investment deals.

Among the programmes planned for the event is CANEX, a platform designed to promote Africa’s creative economy, including sectors such as music, film, fashion, digital content and cultural industries. The initiative will run alongside trade exhibitions, business networking sessions and policy forums during the week-long event.

Other activities planned include an AfCFTA-focused trade and investment forum, Global Africa Day to strengthen links with the African diaspora, business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) meetings, an Africa Automotive Show, and the AU Youth Start-up Pavilion.

CANEX to spotlight creative industries

The CANEX programme is expected to serve as a meeting point for creators, investors and policymakers involved in Africa’s cultural and creative sectors. By placing creative industries within the broader trade fair, organisers aim to position the sector as an increasingly important contributor to intra-African trade and economic growth.

Since its launch in 2018, the Intra-African Trade Fair has collectively generated more than US$167 billion in trade and investment deals and attracted over 180,000 visitors from 132 countries.

Olusegun Obasanjo, chairperson of the IATF2027 Advisory Council and former President of Nigeria, said hosting the event in Lagos carries historical significance.

“The signing of this host agreement marks a momentous milestone for Nigeria and for the continent. Bringing IATF2027 to Lagos is historically significant, as this city hosted the Lagos Plan of Action adopted in 1980, which championed Africa’s industrialisation and economic self-sufficiency,” he said.

Obasanjo added that he expects the 2027 edition to exceed previous fairs in scale and impact as African countries work towards building a unified market under the AfCFTA.

Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the fair would provide an opportunity to accelerate trade integration across the continent.

“As we prepare to host Africa’s largest marketplace in Lagos in 2027, we have an opportunity not only to reflect on our reality but to design the future of African trade integration and economic transformation,” she said.

George Elombi, president and chairman of the board of directors of Afreximbank, said Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and industrial capacity make it a suitable host for the event.

“The trade fair is about building a strong pan-African single market and expanding intra-African trade beyond the levels we see today. Our collective duty is to use this platform to build value chains, create jobs and generate prosperity,” he said.

Strengthening AfCFTA objectives

Francisca Tatchoup Belobe, the African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, said the trade fair was originally launched to help increase intra-African trade, which remains relatively low compared with trade levels within other regions.

She noted that hosting the event in Nigeria could provide momentum for industrialisation and investment across the continent.

Representing the AfCFTA secretariat, Cynthia E. Gnassingbé‑Essonam said Nigeria’s hosting of the fair would support efforts to operationalise the AfCFTA and strengthen regional value chains.

“The Intra-African Trade Fair has established itself as Africa’s premier marketplace for trade and investment, bringing together businesses, investors and policymakers from across the continent and the diaspora,” she said.

With CANEX forming a key part of the programme, organisers say IATF2027 is expected to highlight the role of creative industries in driving economic diversification, cultural exchange and new trade opportunities across Africa.