Questions and answers

SAIS Events is an expo coordination company based in Nairobi, Kenya, with a team in Dubai. We source vetted delegates, hosted buyers and exhibitors from Africa and the Middle East for international trade expos, and we serve clients worldwide.

A hosted buyer programme is run by the expo organiser. Qualified buyers get benefits such as free hotel nights, airport and expo transfers, and pre-arranged B2B meetings with exhibitors. In return, buyers attend their meetings and visit the show. The benefits differ for each expo.

First, create your free company profile on SAIS MatchMarket so we can vet your company. Then register for the expo you want from our expo list. We prepare your application and send it to the organiser.

You create a company profile on SAIS MatchMarket with your website or social page, what you buy and sell, and your markets. Our team checks that your business is real and active, reviews your buying needs, and may ask for your company registration documents. Vetted companies are then put forward to organisers.

Usually a valid passport, your company registration certificate or chamber of commerce certificate, and a tax certificate. Some organisers also ask for proof of your flight booking. We tell you exactly what each expo needs.

As early as possible. Hosted buyer places are limited and organisers set deadlines, often 6 to 8 weeks before the show. For example, AGROEXPO 2027 needs air tickets and company documents by 18 December 2026.

Joining our delegate programme and SAIS MatchMarket is free. Delegates pay for their own flights. Extra services such as visa processing, flight booking and one-on-one sourcing consultations are agreed with you before any work starts. Our optional VIP Members Programme has a one-time fee of USD 300.

No. The expo organiser reviews every application and makes the final decision. We prepare a strong application and recommend vetted companies, but we never promise approval.

Yes. We prepare visa invitation letters for the expos we coordinate, and our partner visa and flight ticketing agents help delegates with visa applications and air tickets.

We work with expos in China, Türkiye, Egypt, the UAE, India, Europe and the Americas. Our current official partner expos include AGROEXPO 2027 in İzmir, Türkiye, AFROPLAST 2027 in Cairo, Egypt, and ALUMINIUM CHINA 2027 in Shanghai. See the full list on our expos page.

We bring delegates from across Africa, mainly Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi and South Sudan, and from the Middle East.

SAIS MatchMarket is our free B2B platform. Buyers, importers, exporters, manufacturers, suppliers and expo organisers create a company profile, get vetted, and are matched with partners. Members can message each other, book meetings and open deal rooms. Conversations are private to the two companies and SAIS.

VIP members pay a one-time fee of USD 300. We vet their company, assess their import and export capacity, and recommend them first to organisers, manufacturers and buyers at every expo we work with. Read more about VIP membership.

Yes. For selected expos we recruit African exhibitors, share booth and pavilion options, and help with registration, visas and travel. Tell us which product and market you want to reach on WhatsApp.

Organisers appoint SAIS Events as a regional delegate sourcing agent under a written agreement. We recruit and vet buyers through SAIS MatchMarket, industry associations, our business community networks and direct pitching, and we send weekly progress reports. See how we work with organisers.

We agree the terms in a written contract before we start. Usually the organiser pays a fee per approved and attending buyer company, or a commission on exhibitors we bring. There are no hidden costs for our marketing, booths or printing.

As soon as the agreement is signed. We list the show on our website and SAIS MatchMarket, share it with our business networks and associations, and send weekly progress reports.

Importers, distributors, manufacturers, factory owners, food and beverage producers, farmers and agribusinesses, packaging companies, recyclers, and procurement managers from Africa and the Middle East. We match recruitment to the buyer profile each organiser asks for.

Email info@saisevents.com or WhatsApp +254 722 170 385. Join our WhatsApp channel for new expos and hosted buyer places.