A pivotal milestone in Africa’s economic transformation is taking shape, as top government officials, business leaders, and development partners gathered for the Ghana High-Level Roadshow of the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025).
The event, jointly organized by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and Afreximbank, aimed to galvanise Ghanaian businesses ahead of the continent’s premier trade and investment event scheduled for September in Algiers, Algeria.
In a keynote address, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat underscored the importance of IATF2025 as a “marketplace of ideas, opportunities and partnerships,” and a direct engine to convert the promise of the AfCFTA into “trade deals signed, investments mobilised and jobs created.
“Africa’s path to genuine, inclusive prosperity depends on stronger trade performance,” H.E. Mene said. “IATF2025 is the platform where this vision becomes reality.”
With intra-African trade still hovering at a modest 15%, the fair is seen as a key driver to unlock new regional value chains and reduce the continent’s dependence on external markets.
H.E. Mene emphasised that the AfCFTA framework is actively dismantling trade barriers, standardizing customs protocols, and enabling industrial value addition across sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, automotive and energy.
The Roadshow, attended by high-level stakeholders from the Ghanaian government and private sector, featured passionate calls for immediate action and participation in the IATF.
H.E. Mene urged Ghanaian businesses to take full advantage of IATF2025:“Whether you’re an SME, a manufacturer, a financier or a creative entrepreneur, the IATF is your gateway to forging new partnerships and playing your part in building a truly integrated and prosperous Africa.”
Representing the Ghanaian government, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry highlighted the fair as a gateway for Ghanaian enterprises to showcase innovation and secure strategic partnerships across the continent.
A key highlight of the event was the address by Mr. Gabriel Edgal, Chairman and Group CEO of Oakwood Green Africa and IATF2025 Ambassador. He emphasised the fair’s role in transforming potential into productivity:
“Platforms like the IATF are not about speeches and panels. They are about action. They are the bridges that move us from potential to product, from hope to supply and from vision to value,” Mr. Edgal stated.
Mr. Edgal cited real-world examples of intra-African business collaborations—from dairy partnerships in East Africa to vaccine production in West Africa—showcasing the tangible benefits of African businesses trading with one another. Ghana, he noted, is uniquely positioned as a logistics hub for regional trade.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Yemi Kale, Managing Director of Research and Group Chief Economist at Afreximbank, addressed the structural challenges facing intra-African trade, notably the lack of accurate, actionable market intelligence.
“Trade cannot flourish in the absence of information,” Kale said, citing the $3 billion annual import bill for meat products in West Africa, largely sourced outside the continent despite sufficient local production capacity.
He reiterated Afreximbank’s continued commitment to facilitating trade through platforms like MANSA (a due diligence database), PAPSS (Pan-African Payment and Settlement System), and an expanding suite of trade finance tools tailored for SMEs and manufacturers.
The Roadshow, one of several being held across the continent ahead of IATF2025, aims to ensure that Ghanaian exporters, financiers and creatives are not only aware of the fair, but fully prepared to leverage its potential.
Stakeholders were briefed on exhibition opportunities, financial instruments, and sector-specific platforms such as CANEX (Creative Africa Nexus), which supports Africa’s booming creative economy.
The Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 will take place from 4–10 September 2025 in Algiers, Algeria, with over 2,000 exhibitors, 35,000 visitors, and $44 billion in projected trade and investment deals.
