APA News
The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is set to become a permanent institution headquartered in Harare, Zimbabwe, following its formal transition into the newly established Intra-African Trade Fair Company (IATFCO).
The move, announced during IATF2025 in Algiers, marks a major milestone in Africa’s push for economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The decision to base the headquarters in Zimbabwe followed a competitive bidding process involving Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, chairperson of the IATF Advisory Council, said Zimbabwe was selected for its strong conferencing infrastructure, air connectivity, accommodation capacity and commitment to land provision for future expansion.
“This opens a new chapter for IATF as it continues powering growth in intra-African trade and playing its role as the most important trade and investment gathering on the continent,” Obasanjo said.
Backed by an initial capitalisation of $28 million approved by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), IATFCO will serve as the institutional anchor for the biennial trade fair, which has grown into the continent’s largest marketplace for intra-African commerce.
Afreximbank president Benedict Oramah hailed the development as a “huge milestone,” urging African governments, corporations and financial institutions to support the institution during its formative phase.
IATF is co-convened by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat.
It provides a platform for businesses to showcase goods and services, forge partnerships and tap into AfCFTA’s single market of over 1.4 billion people and a combined gross domestic product exceeding $3.5 trillion.
The 2025 edition of the fair, held from 4 to 10 September in Algiers, attracted over 112,000 visitors from 132 countries, hosted 2,148 exhibitors and generated $48.3 billion in trade and investment deals.