Francesca Odimgbe
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday assured that the forthcoming Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) 2026 and Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027 to be hosted by Lagos will be the best in the African continent.
The Governor expressed the commitment of the Lagos State Government to make CANEX 2026 and IATF 2027 a masterpiece that will represent Africa very well.
He gave the assurance during the signing ceremony for the Hosting Agreement of the Intra-African Trade Fair, IATF 2027 (The AfCFTA Marketplace), organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts at Iganmu, Lagos.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who witnessed the signing of the agreement between Nigeria, African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank), African Union Commission (AUC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), expressed the readiness of Lagos for the historic IATF 2027, aimed at creating opportunities for trade and investments across the African continent.
The Governor said the hosting of the fifth Intra-African Trade Fair in Lagos next year would be a defining time for Africa to take its rightful place in the committee of nations, assuring that Lagos State will put every necessary thing in place to ensure that the event will be the best IATF to be hosted in Africa.
He said: “We will do it knowing fully well that it is a time for Africa to take its rightful place in the global space. I want to assure you that the CANEX (Creative Africa Nexus 2026) event coming up in Lagos later in the year will be a masterpiece.
“It will be one of the biggest that you have seen because Lagos is not just a commercial economic nerve centre of our country; it is the entertainment capital of Africa, and we will bring our A-game to its fullness. You will see a CANEX that you have never seen before, and we will be true with our promise.
“For the big one, IATF 2027, we will ensure that not only would we put our best foot forward, we will also not disappoint all of you. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is committed to the event. He had run this State (Lagos) at some point, and it is still the energy and the spirit of Lagos that he’s taken to the Federal Government. He has given both the minister and myself a marching order to ensure that next year at IATF 2027, Nigeria represents Africa very well.
“We will be doing it with everything we have. We will do everything possible to ensure that it will be the best IATF that we have seen on the continent of Africa. On behalf of the people and the government of Nigeria, we are excited. We are happy that they have given us this responsibility, and indeed Lagos will be playing host to the two big events.”
In his address, the Chairperson of the IATF 2027 Advisory Council, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, thanked the Federal Government and Lagos State Government, as well as the private sector, for their collective efforts being instrumental in ensuring the historic hosting of the event in Nigeria to raise a standard achievement and unified market for the African continent.
Speaking earlier, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said Nigeria, as the host country, is fully prepared to host the IATF 2027.
She said Nigeria is committed to working with other partners and stakeholders to make the event a defining moment in transforming the AfCFTA Marketplace, build trust for business communities, create one African market, foster international trade and create job opportunities for people in the African continent.
Also speaking at the event, representatives of African Union Commission and AfCFTA affirmed their commitment to work collaboratively with stakeholders to make the Intra-African Trade Fair 2027 a success.