Inside IATF 2025: Africa’s Biggest Trade Fair Is Happening in Algiers

This week, Algiers, Algeria is hosting one of the most important gatherings on the continent: the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025). Running from September 4th to 10th, the event has drawn thousands of exhibitors, visitors, and decision-makers from across Africa and beyond.

For anyone who still sees Africa only as a source of raw materials, this fair tells a different story. It shows a continent building its own value chains, investing in creativity, and trading with itself in ways that could reshape the global economy.

Over 1,600 exhibitors and 35,000 participants are taking part this year, representing more than 75 countries. The fair brings together a mix of established companies, governments, small businesses, and emerging entrepreneurs. Deals worth more than $44 billion are expected to be signed by the time the week ends.

Walking through the exhibition halls, you’ll find everything from agriculture and food products to fintech platforms, textiles, automobiles, and even entire sections dedicated to film, fashion, and music.

Beyond Trade: Culture and Innovation
One of the most vibrant parts of IATF is the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX). This space highlights African talent in music, fashion, film, literature, and visual arts, reminding the world that culture is also a major driver of economic growth.

Technology is another standout. The Innovation Hub is buzzing with start-ups pitching apps, fintech solutions, and digital tools designed to solve everyday challenges across the continent.

There’s also the Africa Automotive Show, showcasing how far the continent has come in assembling and producing vehicles locally, a sector that was once almost entirely import-driven.

At the heart of IATF 2025 is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The agreement creates a single market of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion. The fair is one of the main platforms pushing this vision forward — making it easier for businesses in Africa to trade with each other instead of looking overseas first.

For Algeria, hosting the fair is a chance to showcase its own infrastructure projects like the Trans-Sahara highway and its growing industrial base. For the rest of Africa, it’s a reminder that opportunities don’t always lie outside the continent, sometimes the biggest market is right next door.

For the international community, IATF 2025 is a signal that Africa is serious about shaping its economic future. With a young population, fast-growing cities, and industries ranging from agriculture to tech and culture, the continent is positioning itself as a major player in the global economy.

Basically, IATF 2025 is more than a trade show. It’s a live demonstration of Africa’s potential — ambitious, diverse, and determined to trade within itself while opening its doors to the world