By Emma Black
From September 4 to 10, 2025, Algiers, the capital of Algeria, will host the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025), positioning the city as a key hub for continental trade and economic collaboration. More than a standard trade exhibition, the event is a strategic platform to advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and strengthen regional economic integration.
Organizers describe the fair as a “work of projection and observation, with final preparations intensifying to ensure the event delivers concrete results in trade facilitation, investment promotion, and economic diversification. For Algeria, IATF 2025 is both a showcase of its industrial and logistical capabilities and a reaffirmation of its leadership role in Africa’s economic development.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, a firm advocate of Pan-Africanism, highlighted the importance of continental solidarity and mutual growth. His government has mobilized significant resources, from infrastructure and logistics to customs facilitation and media coverage, to ensure the fair sets a new standard for Africa-wide trade initiatives.
Algiers’ selection as the host city underscores Algeria’s historic commitment to African unity. From supporting liberation movements to being the birthplace of the Organization of African Unity’s Africa for Africans declaration, the country continues to champion a vision of shared continental prosperity.
With the AfCFTA market estimated at over $3 trillion, IATF 2025 is expected to attract African heads of state, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other continental leaders are anticipated to participate. Sierra Leone will be among the participating nations, using the fair as a platform to strengthen its regional trade presence and explore new economic partnerships.
Sierra Leone’s participation is expected to deliver several strategic benefits, Showcasing sectors such as agriculture, mining, tourism, and energy to attract international investors. Introducing local products like cocoa, palm oil, and artisanal goods to a wider African market.
Engaging directly with investors, business leaders, and policymakers to build lasting trade relationships. Providing opportunities for small and medium enterprises to network, learn, and scale operations. Signaling Sierra Leone’s commitment to a unified and integrated African market.
For Sierra Leone, the IATF 2025 represents more than attendance it is a strategic step toward economic diversification, industrial growth, and continental influence. The country’s presence will demonstrate resilience, forward planning, and a shared belief in Africa’s collective future.
As Algiers prepares to host this landmark event, the Intra-African Trade Fair promises to highlight the continent’s economic potential, grounded in history, unity, and a vision for shared prosperity.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday,15th August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
