Zimbabwe to Host Headquarters of Intra-African Trade Fair’s New Independent Entity
By Karabo Ngoepe
Zimbabwe has been chosen to host the permanent headquarters of the Intra-African Trade Fair Company (IATFCO), a newly established independent body set to drive the continent’s largest trade and investment event into a new era of growth.
The announcement was made at the close of the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers, where leaders confirmed the transition of IATF from a biennial event into a standing African institution. The move is aimed at ensuring the fair’s sustainability and cementing its role in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Zimbabwe won the hosting rights following a competitive bidding process that also included Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa. The decision was approved by the IATF Advisory Council after extensive evaluation.
Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, who chairs the Advisory Council, said Zimbabwe stood out for its conferencing facilities, strong air connectivity, hotel capacity and its pledge to provide land for expansion.
“This opens a new chapter for IATF as it continues powering growth in intra-African trade,” Obasanjo said. “IATF is a symbol of Africa’s economic awakening, where the power of trade and investment unifies us and breathes life into the ambition of the AfCFTA.”
The fair is co-convened by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission and the AfCFTA Secretariat. With its new permanent base in Harare, it will operate year-round, positioning itself as the continent’s premier platform for business engagement.
Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah hailed the development as a “huge milestone” and announced that the bank’s board had approved an initial US$28 million capitalisation for the new institution.
“While we anticipate the organisation will strive for financial sustainability, I call on African governments, corporations and financial institutions to support it during its early teething stage,” Oramah said.
The Intra-African Trade Fair has become a cornerstone of the AfCFTA’s efforts to build a single market of more than 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of US$3.5 trillion.
The 2025 edition, held from September 4 to 10 in Algiers, drew over 112,000 visitors from 132 countries, hosted 2,148 exhibitors, and saw US$48.3 billion in trade and investment deals signed.
With Harare as its permanent home, IATFCO is expected to deepen continental trade integration and create lasting infrastructure for African businesses to connect, innovate and expand.