ITAF 2026 Concludes Its Inaugural Edition in Casablanca, Laying the Foundations for a New Industrial Platform for Africa

Three days of meetings, technology demonstrations, conferences and business exchanges: the inaugural edition of Industrial Transformation Africa concludes in Casablanca after bringing together 3,059 participants from 56 countries. Beyond the exhibition itself, ITAF now aims to build on the connections established between industrial players from Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and international technology providers.

Casablanca, Morocco– Industrial Transformation Africa (ITAF) 2026 concludes its inaugural edition this Thursday at OFEC in Casablanca. Over three days, industrial companies, technology providers, decisionmakers, investors, buyers, experts and training stakeholders came together around a shared challenge: how to move industrial transformation from concept to implementation.

Held from 29 September to 1 October, the event brought together 3,059 participants from 68 countries. Nearly 50 qualified buyers from 11 countries took part through the Hosted Buyer Programme, while more than 60 speakers contributed to the Industrial Edge Summit Africa conference programme.

This inaugural edition marks the establishment in Morocco of an event stemming from the HANNOVER MESSE portfolio, with a clear focus on the needs of African industry: connecting technologies available internationally with the modernization, investment and development projects being pursued across the continent.

Three Days of Putting Technology to the Test of Industrial Reality

Robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, intralogistics, drive systems, energy efficiency and connectivity: ITAF 2026 showcased a broad range of solutions set to transform production chains.

Yet the event went beyond presenting equipment and technologies. Over the three days, discussions focused on the practical conditions required for their adoption: which applications to prioritize, how to integrate new systems into existing facilities, which skills are needed and how to measure the resulting performance gains. This approach reflects ITAF’s positioning around four complementary pillars: technology, knowledge, skills and business connections. Demonstrations and discussions held throughout the exhibition enabled industrial players to assess available solutions against their own production, maintenance, energy-performance and digitalization challenges.

Business Connections Designed to Deliver Results Beyond the Exhibition

Business matchmaking was one of the key pillars of this inaugural edition. The Hosted Buyer Programme brought nearly 50 qualified buyers from 11 countries to ITAF 2026: Tunisia, Senegal, Uganda, Djibouti, Guinea, Niger, France, Gabon, Serbia and Romania, Benin. Alongside the B2B Matchmaking platform, the programme supported international business connections and B2B opportunities throughout the event.

The international delegation programme also included an African delegation, comprising 22 senior participants from nine African countries. The group included public officials, representatives of chambers of commerce, executives of public enterprises and business leaders.

During ITAF 2026, the delegation held targeted meetings with exhibitors to discuss specific needs in machinery and automation, agro-industry, industrial refrigeration, energy, logistics, infrastructure and production modernization. These exchanges also explored opportunities for technology transfer, skills development and longer-term industrial cooperation.

The true value of these connections, however, will be measured beyond the three days of the exhibition. One of ITAF’s stated objectives is precisely to enable an initial meeting to develop into a diagnostic assessment, pilot project, distribution agreement, equipment investment decision or broader industrial cooperation.

“Over these three days, we have been able to create highly targeted exchanges between technology providers and industrial decisionmakers around clearly identified needs and projects. The challenge now is to keep these connections alive beyond the exhibition and support their development into partnerships, projects and tangible cooperation,” said Soley Özsoy Bürümcek, Director of Business Development and MENA Projects at Hannover Fairs MENA.

AI, Energy and Cybersecurity: Industry Faces the Same Implementation Challenges

Alongside the exhibition, the Industrial Edge Summit Africa brought together more than 60 speakers, including business leaders and experts, to discuss the main challenges shaping the future of industrial transformation. Artificial intelligence applied to manufacturing, Industry 4.0, connectivity, energy efficiency, decarbonization, cybersecurity, IIoT and workforce development were among the topics explored, with sessions focusing on how these transformations can be effectively deployed on the ground. The three-day programme followed the same progression. Following a first day dedicated to major industrial transformations and the future of industry in Africa, discussions turned to the practical implementation of Industry 4.0. The final day addressed infrastructure, skills, factory use cases and the creation of value through digital technologies.

An Inaugural Edition Designed to Extend Beyond the Exhibition Floor

With its inaugural edition, ITAF has laid the first foundations of a platform designed to remain active beyond the annual event. The organizers’ ambition is to build a year-round ecosystem. This means maintaining the relationships established in Casablanca, sharing practical experience, strengthening skills and supporting industrial players as they move from discovering a technology to implementing it on the ground.

“This inaugural edition is not an end point, but the beginning of a long-term momentum that we intend to sustain. Our ambition is to build on the discussions initiated in Casablanca, foster tangible cooperation and support industrial players as they progressively transform their projects into productive capabilities and sustainable added value,” said Mehtap Gürsoy, Managing Director of Hannover Fairs Turkey and Hannover Fairs MENA.

For ITAF, the true impact of this inaugural edition will therefore also be measured in the months ahead: through the projects that emerge from the meetings held in Casablanca, the partnerships that materialize and the technologies that find their way into industrial facilities.
“This inaugural edition has enabled ITAF to bring together a particularly diverse industrial, technological and institutional ecosystem. Our objective now is to build on this momentum, strengthen bridges between local and international stakeholders and turn the connections made in Casablanca into new opportunities for investment, innovation and industrial cooperation,” added Taha Chokry, Co-Founder and CEO of Smart Expos & Events Morocco.

Looking Ahead to 2027: Building on the Momentum of the Inaugural Edition

Following its successful inaugural edition, Industrial Transformation Africa (ITAF) will return to OFEC in Casablanca from 26 to 28 October 2027 for its second edition. Building on the foundations established in 2026, the event aims to further strengthen its position as a platform connecting African industrial stakeholders with international technology providers, investors and business partners.

The second edition will seek to build on the business connections, knowledge exchange and cooperation opportunities initiated in Casablanca, fostering further dialogue on industrial modernization, technology adoption and investment across Africa. By bringing together key players from across the industrial ecosystem, ITAF 2027 aims to support new partnerships and contribute to the continent’s ongoing industrial transformation.

After three days at OFEC, the inaugural edition of Industrial Transformation Africa therefore comes to a close with a clearly defined next step: turning the connections established during the exhibition into tangible and sustainable industrial projects.

Industrial Transformation Africa is organised by Hannover Fairs MENA, within the Deutsche Messe ecosystem, with Smart Expos & Events Morocco as the local organizer. The 2026 edition also brings together UNIDO, GMAI and AMCA as strategic partners; Turkish Machinery and GSMA as sponsors; CE3M Maroc, R&D Maroc and TEAM Henri-Fabre as official technology partners; AHK Maroc, GIZ, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and KFW as institutional partners; and AMPF, FMIIP, Morocco Train Industry (MTI) and WorldPTA as supporting partners.

The next edition of the Industrial Transformation Africa (ITAF), one of Africa's key gatherings in the industrial and technology sectors, will be held at OFEC/ Casablanca between October 26-28, 2027.