Obasanjo Hails Algeria’s Pivotal Role in Elevating IATF 2025 into the Continent’s Defining Trade Landmark
✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers – September 2025 – In an address delivered during the official opening ceremony of the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), held under the patronage of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chairs the Advisory Council of the IATF, paid glowing tribute to Algeria’s resolute efforts to ensure that the 2025 edition, hosted in Algiers from September 4 to 10, becomes the most groundbreaking and impactful since the establishment of this continental event.
Speaking before an audience comprised of African Heads of State, dignitaries, and leading trade delegations, Obasanjo recalled his meeting with President Tebboune in July, emphasizing the Algerian leader’s firm pledge to make the Algiers edition “the largest and most successful” in the fair’s history. He stressed that such an ambitious vision could only be achieved through the convergence of collective determination, political will, and collaborative work across the continent.
Obasanjo underscored the pivotal role that the IATF has come to occupy within Africa’s economic landscape, describing it not merely as a commercial gathering but as “the living embodiment of Africa’s economic renaissance.” According to him, the fair represents a decisive platform where buyers, sellers, investors, governments, and innovators converge to breathe life into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and to accelerate the momentum of intra-African trade.
Reflecting on the fair’s trajectory since its inception in 2018, Obasanjo highlighted its remarkable success in mobilizing stakeholders across all African regions. Over the past three editions, he noted, the IATF generated more than $120 billion in trade and investment agreements, creating a ripple effect of intra-African projects and strategic partnerships. “This fair has proven itself to be nothing short of a locomotive, propelling the acceleration of trade flows and investment opportunities across Africa,” he declared.
With Algeria now at the helm, Obasanjo expressed his confidence that the 2025 edition will surpass previous benchmarks, citing the unprecedented participation of 48 African countries — the largest number recorded since the inception of the fair. He predicted that the Algiers gathering would witness the signing of historic trade agreements and catalyze cross-continental initiatives that will leave an enduring mark on Africa’s economic future.
In his address, Obasanjo extended his “deep and heartfelt gratitude” to President Tebboune for his unwavering support and his close coordination with Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the AfCFTA Secretariat to secure the success of this landmark edition. He lauded Tebboune’s “visionary leadership in championing Africa’s economic development agenda across diverse sectors,” describing Algeria’s stewardship as an essential factor in driving collective progress.
The opening ceremony culminated with a major announcement: the Nigerian metropolis of Lagos has been selected to host the 5th edition of the IATF in 2027, a decision warmly welcomed as a testament to West Africa’s growing role in advancing continental trade and investment dynamics.
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