African entrepreneurs are being encouraged to expand into international markets as the African Marketplace Dubai 2026 exhibition seeks to connect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with global buyers, investors and strategic business partners.
Ibukun Awosika, founder of the African Marketplace, called for greater support to transform African and Caribbean SMEs into export-driven businesses, highlighting their potential to increase trade, create jobs and strengthen the continent’s participation in global markets.
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition at Conrad Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Awosika said SMEs account for approximately 90% of the productive sector across the African and Caribbean markets represented by the initiative. However, many businesses remain underexposed to international buyers and lack sufficient access to commercial networks that could help them scale their operations.
She said the African Marketplace was established to bridge this gap by connecting entrepreneurs with international buyers, strategic partners and Dubai’s business community. The exhibition ran from 10 to 12 October 2026, showcasing products, services, technologies, innovations and creative enterprises from Africa and the Caribbean.
Awosika said direct exposure to international markets could help overcome doubts about the quality and origin of African-made products, allowing buyers to assess their value firsthand and develop commercial relationships with producers.
The event was officially opened by Awosika alongside Walid Hareb AlFalahi, founder and chief executive of the UAE Trade Centre; Grace El Mahmoud Marabe, Ghana’s Consul General to Dubai; and Janice Costa, project manager and events and partnerships leader at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
AlFalahi said interest in African products was growing, noting that the 2026 exhibition had improved on the previous year’s edition. He also called for greater participation from women entrepreneurs and Dubai’s Chamber of Commerce.
The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism served as the event’s key strategic partner, while Afreximbank returned as a strategic partner and major sponsor following its involvement in the inaugural edition in 2025.
The Development Bank of Nigeria supported selected exhibitors for the first time in 2026, alongside other participating organisations and sponsors, including FCMB, Emadeb Energy and Senator Daisy Danjuma. African Business Heroes, the Jack Ma Foundation-backed initiative supporting African entrepreneurship, was also represented by some of its previous winners.
The initiative highlights the role that trade exhibitions and business partnerships can play in helping African SMEs access export markets. For smaller producers, international exposure can create opportunities to secure distribution agreements, attract investment and build the capacity needed to meet overseas demand.
However, converting exhibition participation into sustained export growth also requires reliable logistics, access to trade finance, compliance with international standards and consistent production capacity.
By bringing African businesses into direct contact with international buyers, the African Marketplace aims to help entrepreneurs move beyond domestic markets and develop commercially sustainable export operations, strengthening opportunities for trade and economic growth across the continent.