Algeria, set to host the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) from 4 to 10 September, is a key player in the African development and integration, driven by its economic strength and a dynamic entrepreneurial youth.
As Africa’s third largest economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about USD270 billion in 2024, Algeria is emerging as a leading country in various economic fields, like energy, agriculture, food-processing industry, industry and services, making it an economic driving force for the continent’s development.
According to a report of the World Bank Group, Algeria has advanced to the upper middle-income country category under the institution’s latest annual economic classification update for member countries.
Commended by multiple international institutions, Algeria’s economic performance is built mainly on a diversification strategy, with industry accounting for nearly 50% of new investments recorded by the Algerian Agency for Investment Promotion (AAPI).
Algeria, which has the largest surface area in Africa and shares terrestrial borders with seven countries, enjoys a strategically advantageous geographic position. Its Mediterranean coastline provides proximity to European markets, while its continental reach offers privileged access to African markets.
Its Human Development Index (HDI), developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ranks among the highest in Africa. This indicator which takes into account life expectancy, educational level, and per capita income underscores Algeria’s human development achievements and demonstrates the availability of a skilled workforce supporting its economy.
The country also possesses competitive advantages in various high-growth sectors, including agriculture, mines, innovation, and startups, enabling it to forge lasting partnerships thanks to a robust industrial foundation, modern infrastructure network, and diverse means of transportation.
In the hydrocarbon sector, Algeria maintains its position as a major player, ranking among the continent’s leading oil and natural gas producers and exporters through its national company Sonatrach, recognized as Africa’s largest oil and gas enterprise.
In agriculture, the efforts undertaken in recent years enabled transforming this sector into a genuine pillar of national food security, achieving self-sufficiency across multiple product categories, namely vegetables, fruits, and selected cereals, while generating exportable surpluses.
These achievements were welcomed several times by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which ranks Algeria among Africa’s top-performing nations in food security.
Economic diversification efforts have spurred the development of key sectors, particularly the startup ecosystem, which now encompasses nearly 9,000 companies.
Algeria, targeting 20,000 startups by end-2029, annually hosts a dedicated African conference that draws ministers, officials, entrepreneurs, and investors from across the continent.
The stated ambition is to elevate the national economy to become Africa’s second or even the first largest economy, as emphasized by President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
