Engage Services Africa (ESA) Durban

Engage Services Africa (ESA) is an international trade fair and B2B platform dedicated to trade in services, exclusively serving industry professionals. Held annually at the Durban Exhibition Centre in Durban, South Africa, the event brings together African service providers with international buyers, multinational corporations, government representatives and development organisations. It is organised by Catalyze, an agency specialising in international trade promotion that develops tailored trade and business networking programmes worldwide, fostering long-term commercial partnerships and improving access to international markets.

At the heart of Engage Services Africa is high-quality business matchmaking based on the proven hosted buyer model, which connects pre-qualified buyers and suppliers through carefully tailored one-to-one B2B meetings. The programme is further enhanced by industry conferences, roundtable discussions, workshops and networking events that encourage professional knowledge exchange and support the development of international business partnerships.

The exhibition covers a broad spectrum of modern business services, including management consulting, legal, tax and accounting services, ESG and sustainability consulting, software development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, FinTech, GovTech and digital business solutions. Exhibitors also showcase products and services in marketing, branding, design, animation, content production, gaming, digital media, education and professional training, trade and logistics solutions, export and compliance services, engineering, energy and green technologies, smart cities, as well as maritime services associated with the Blue Economy.

The event plays an important role for both South Africa and the wider African continent by strengthening the international competitiveness of African service providers and promoting cross-border trade in knowledge-based services. As one of Africa's leading economic and logistics hubs, Durban offers ideal conditions for international trade events thanks to its major seaport and modern infrastructure. Highlights of Engage Services Africa include carefully curated business matchmaking meetings, exclusive hosted buyer programmes, high-level industry forums and practice-oriented workshops.

Exhibitors represent a wide range of sectors, including professional services, information and communications technology, software development, financial technology, marketing and the creative industries, education, logistics, trade, infrastructure, engineering, energy, and sustainable and digital services. Visitors primarily include international buyers, corporate decision-makers, investors, government representatives, public sector procurement professionals, development organisations and industry experts from the fields of consulting, technology, finance, trade and infrastructure.

The Durban Exhibition Centre provides a modern venue in the heart of the coastal city of Durban. Located just minutes from the international port, the city's principal business districts and numerous hotels, the exhibition grounds are easily accessible from King Shaka International Airport via major motorways, shuttle services, taxis and public transport, providing an excellent setting for a successful international trade event.

The Engage Services Africa (ESA) will take place on 3 days from Tuesday, 06. October to Thursday, 08. October 2026 in Durban.