Obasanjo Commends Algeria’s Efforts to Make IATF 2025 the Most Successful Edition
Former Nigerian President and Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday praised Algeria’s efforts to ensure that the 2025 edition of the fair, hosted in Algiers from September 4 to 10, becomes the most successful since the event’s inception.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 4th edition, held under the patronage of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in the presence of heads of state and delegation leaders, Obasanjo recalled that during his meeting with Tebboune last July, the Algerian president expressed his determination to make the Algiers edition “the largest and most successful.” He stressed that all stakeholders are working together to achieve this goal.
Obasanjo described the fair as more than just a trade exhibition, calling it a symbol of Africa’s economic renaissance that unites the continent’s trade and investment forces to bring vitality and ambition to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Highlighting the fair’s achievements, Obasanjo noted that over the past eight years it has proven its ability to bring together buyers, sellers, investors, innovators, and governments from across Africa, becoming “a real engine for accelerating trade and investment flows.” He pointed out that the three previous editions generated trade and investment deals exceeding $120 billion, alongside numerous African joint success stories, and expressed confidence that the Algiers edition will witness even more agreements.
With a record participation of 48 African countries — the highest since the event was launched in 2018 — Obasanjo extended his deep gratitude to President Tebboune for his cooperation with Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the AfCFTA Secretariat. He also praised Tebboune’s vision for advancing Africa’s economic development across various sectors. The ceremony concluded with the announcement that Lagos, Nigeria, will host the 5th edition of the IATF in 2027.
