IFAT Africa, the leading trade fair for water, sewage, refuse and recycling in Southern Africa, will return to Gallagher Estate this year after a two-year hiatus.

The key industry event, postponed in 2021 due to lockdowns and travel restrictions, will be co-located with analytica Lab Africa – the only South African trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics. The co-location brings together the broad and integrated spectrum of science and innovation, laboratory technology, water treatment, waste management and recycling for one-stop access to the interconnected value chains in these sectors. The market response to co-locating the event with IFAT Africa has been resoundingly positive, with visitors and exhibitors from across Africa and around the world exploring multi-sectoral business opportunities.

IFAT Africa features solutions from around the world. With input from an expert pan-African advisory board, the event highlights include a high-calibre forum programme addressing trends, challenges and solutions from the water, sewage, refuse and recycling sectors. IFAT Africa 2023’s supporting programme will focus on topical issues such as financing and ensuring projects are bankable, integration at local and national level, EPR, the Circular Economy, and women in industry.

IFAT Africa 2023 will present the programme in collaboration with leading industry associations including SABIA (Southern Africa Biogas Association), SACEEC (The Southern Africa Capital Equipment Export Council) and IWMSA (The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa).

The last IFAT Africa trade show and conference, staged in 2019, featured 172 exhibitors and achieved a record turnout, with an 83% increase in visitors and delegates travelling from as far afield as Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’ Ivoire, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In line with the tradition of the eight IFAT trade fairs held all over the world, the comprehensive supporting programme ensured lively debate and knowledge sharing on the urgent environmental challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.

Now organised by Messe Muenchen India and Messe München the co-located IFAT Africa and analytica Lab Africa events bring together over 6,000 visitors to benefit from cross-sector networking and exposure to the latest industry trends and solutions.

Benoit Leroy, IFAT Africa advisory board member and CEO of the SA Water Chamber says: “Building on its past success, IFAT Africa 2023 aims to bring even more pan-African and international stakeholders together, to deliver a truly global experience and insights. The event will offer an innovation platform for showcasing tailor made environmental technologies and bring together international and national exhibitors and visitors under one umbrella to discuss sustainable solutions.”

IFAT Africa and analytica Lab Africa 2023 will be held from 5-7 July 2023 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. Visit https://ifat-africa.com for further information or to reserve an exhibition stand.