ALGIERS, Algeria / HARARE, Zimbabwe, September 26, 2025 – A historic milestone was announced at the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers: Zimbabwe will host the IATF headquarters of the newly established Intra-African Trade Fair Company (IATFCO).
Zimbabwe to host IATF headquarters, marks the transition of Africa’s premier trade and investment fair into a permanent, independent African institution dedicated to accelerating the continent’s economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The decision follows a rigorous bidding and selection process overseen by the IATF Advisory Council.
Competing against Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, Zambia, and South Africa, Zimbabwe emerged as the host nation, demonstrating strong conferencing capacity, excellent air connectivity, modern accommodation infrastructure, and a government-backed land pledge for future expansion.
A New Era for Intra-African Trade
The establishment of IATFCO signals a new era for the fair, making it sustainable, scalable, and fully aligned with AfCFTA’s vision of creating a unified African market.
Since its inception, IATF has grown into the most important trade and investment gathering on the continent. By transitioning into a permanent institution, its capacity to deliver long-term value will be significantly strengthened.
H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Chairman of the IATF Advisory Council, announced the outcome:
“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.
IATF is a symbol of Africa’s economic awakening, where the power of trade and investment unifies us across regions and breathes life into the ambition of AfCFTA.”
With Zimbabwe to host IATF headquarters, the nation is positioned to become a continental hub for trade exhibitions, investment forums, and business matchmaking.
Strong Backing and Institutional Support
The President and Chairman of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, congratulated Zimbabwe on its selection, describing the development as a huge milestone for Africa.
He confirmed that Afreximbank has approved an initial capitalization of US$28 million for IATFCO to ensure smooth operations in its early years.
“While the organization must strive for financial sustainability, I call on African governments, corporations, and financial institutions to support it during its early teething stage,” Prof. Oramah stated.
This support underscores the collaborative nature of the initiative, co-convened biennially by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Driving Continental Integration and Trade
The IATF platform is designed to help African businesses showcase goods and services, expand partnerships, and capture opportunities in AfCFTA’s single market of 1.4 billion people and US$3.5 trillion GDP.
At IATF2025, which ran from September 4–10 in Algiers, over 112,000 participants from 132 countries attended.
The event attracted 2,148 exhibitors and concluded with US$48.3 billion worth of trade and investment deals, reinforcing its value as a catalyst for intra-African commerce.
The transition into a permanent headquarters in Harare will provide continuity, allowing IATFCO to scale up its operations, track investment flows, and strengthen trade capacity across the continent.
Zimbabwe’s Strategic Advantage
With Zimbabwe to host IATF headquarters, Harare is expected to benefit from increased international visibility, inflows of trade-related investment, and strengthened positioning within AfCFTA’s integration agenda.
The headquarters will also create new opportunities for local businesses, service providers, and professionals engaged in logistics, hospitality, and event management.
The selection is both a recognition of Zimbabwe’s growing role in Africa’s trade future and a call to action for the government and private sector to maximize this unique opportunity.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
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