Africa Forex Trading Expo makes Nigerian debut in Lagos

Nigeria’s securities regulator will deliver a keynote and join a panel on proposed online trading rules at the two-day event

The Africa Forex Trading Expo (AFTE) will make its Nigerian debut on 11-12 November 2026 at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, organisers have announced.

Organised by Azelia Expo Ltd, the event will bring together traders, brokers, crypto exchanges, fintech companies, technology providers, educators, financial professionals and regulators. The programme includes exhibitions, industry discussions, practical workshops and networking sessions.

Regulator to take part

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria will play a central role in the programme, as the regulatory environment for online trading continues to evolve.

The Commission will deliver a keynote address and join a panel discussion on regulation and the development of Nigeria’s online forex and contracts-for-difference (CFD) market, including the proposed rules it recently published.

SEC representatives will also be available at the expo, where attendees can speak directly with Commission officials, learn more about the proposed framework and share their views on the draft rules. The regulatory sessions form part of a wider programme covering the commercial, technological and educational issues shaping the market.

Sponsors and participants

The inaugural Lagos edition has drawn companies from across the trading and financial-technology landscape. FundingPips (https://fundingpips.com/) and Headway (https://hw.online/) are among the industry sponsors.

Participants are expected from across Nigeria, other African markets and internationally, creating opportunities for cross-border connections within and beyond the continent’s growing financial and digital ecosystem.

An expanding industry

AFTE describes itself as a pan-African industry event. Following its inaugural edition in Kenya, it is expanding into West Africa with the Lagos event.

Organisers say the industry it serves now extends well beyond traditional forex trading into fintech, crypto, payments, digital assets, trading technology and financial education, and that the expo is designed to let those different parts of the industry meet under one roof.

From online communities to in-person meetings

Much of Nigeria’s trading community has developed online, through social media, messaging platforms and digital education, according to the organisers. They say AFTE Lagos aims to bring that community into a physical environment where conversations can move beyond the screen, and where participants can discover new products and technologies and build relationships that last beyond the two days.

Why Lagos

Organisers describe Nigeria as an important market within Africa’s broader trading and fintech landscape, with a large and highly engaged community of traders, entrepreneurs, technology users and financial-services professionals. They add that the market is changing as regulation, technology and new financial products reshape how participants access and interact with financial markets.

CPA Zack Kiratu, Director of Azelia Expo Ltd, said the choice of Lagos was deliberate.

“Lagos was a natural next step for AFTE. Nigeria has a vibrant trading community and a dynamic fintech and digital-finance ecosystem, and we believe there is significant value in bringing these communities together,” he said.

“AFTE is not simply about putting companies in exhibition booths. It is about creating a marketplace where traders can meet the industry, businesses can meet their markets, professionals can exchange ideas, and important conversations can take place face-to-face.”

“There is a lot happening across regulation, technology, payments, education and digital finance, and we want AFTE Lagos to provide a space for those conversations to take place in one place. Ultimately, our objective is to build meaningful connections across the African financial ecosystem and create a platform that delivers value to everyone who walks through the doors.”