Boosting trade flows amongst African countries remains a key economic priority, writes Kanayo Awani, executive vice-president: Intra-African Trade & Export Development Bank at African Export-Import Bank.
There is significant opportunity to accelerate the growing intra-African trade in order to unlock investment, catalyse industrialisation, especially processing and adding value to our natural resources.
According to the Africa in Figures 2025 report released by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), intra-African trade grew by 5,4% in 2024 to stand at $206,6-billion, with continued implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) expected to further enhance it.
It is imperative to persist in closing long-standing gaps in trade, investment, and market intelligence that continue to constrain business growth. Across the continent, enterprises are held back by limited knowledge of market opportunities, as well as unclear regulatory information and restricted access to trade finance, all of which hamper their ambitions to expand across borders.
Enter the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), Africa’s premier trade and investment marketplace and a driving force behind the continent’s economic integration agenda. Building on the success of the record-breaking fourth edition, IATF2025 in Algiers, which generated $50-billion in trade and investment deals, the Fair continues to cement its position as a catalyst for intra-African commerce.
IATF’s true impact lies in its ability to connect businesses, unlock opportunities, and translate ambition into tangible commercial outcomes.
According to “The Impact of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) on Development and Trade, 2018–2024” report, an impressive 62,4% of concluded deals directly supported intra-African trade, amounting to more than $8,5-billion for each edition of the trade fair since 2018.
Nearly 360 000 small businesses and SMEs are benefitting, including thousands of women and youth-led enterprises.
The positive impact on employment is also significant. For every $1-million invested into IATF, about 42 jobs are created – meaning each fair supports more than half a million direct employment opportunities across the continent.
What this tells us is that Africa’s challenge is not capacity but connecting with each other. The priority for the continent in sustaining the trade and investment momentum is ensuring businesses continue to access the intelligence, partnerships, and support systems they need.
Looking ahead, the message is clear. Africa is primed and ready to increase intra-African trade, but momentum must not be lost. The continent has showcased the concept, proven there’s appetite, and seen the results. With one of Africa’s largest economies and most populous nation now hosting the continent’s biggest marketplace, the challenge is to transform the current success into exponential progress.