More than 6,000 exhibitors from 30 countries will gather in Ouagadougou from October 30 to November 8, 2026, for the 18th edition of the Ouagadougou International Crafts Fair (SIAO), organizers announced ahead of the premier Pan-African trade event.
Operating under the theme “African Crafts and Industrialisation: What Synergy for Better Organisation and Promotion of Local Products and Cultural Heritage?”, the ten-day exhibition is projected to attract approximately 800,000 visitors, 350 journalists, and over 100 international commercial buyers dedicated to sourcing, marketing, and scaling African artisanal products.
This year’s edition features Ghana as the guest of honor alongside Mali and Niger as special guest nations, reflecting broader regional integration and economic cooperation. In addition to commercial exhibitions, business-to-business networking sessions, and creative craftsmanship competitions, the fair will introduce structural site innovations, including dedicated partner spaces and streamlined access points managed by deployed state security forces to optimize public safety and entry logistics. Through these integrated activities, SIAO organizers aim to bridge the gap between traditional craft enterprise and industrial processing, accelerating market access and driving sustainable value addition for local raw materials across the continent.
HO/te/Sf/lb/abj/APA