MATRADE Launches WiEX Platform For Women Exporters At MIHAS 2026

KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) will launch a new platform for women-led halal exporters at MIHAS 2026, the trade promotion agency said, opening a dedicated track for a segment it argues the halal economy hasn’t fully tapped.

MATRADE’s WiEX @MIHAS is a new platform launching at the 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS), running September 23-26, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur. Themed “Advancing Women in the Halal Economy,” it combines an 80-booth pavilion, a sourcing program, a forum and an awards competition for women-owned and women-led halal exporters, MATRADE said.

A New Track Inside an Established Fair

MIHAS, now in its 22nd year, is targeting RM4.5 billion in overall sales in 2026, up from a RM4.3 billion goal the previous year, MATRADE chief executive officer Abu Bakar Yusof said, according to BERNAMA. “Last year, our sales target was RM4.3 billion, but this year, taking into account global geopolitical developments and global crises, we are targeting to generate RM4.5 billion in overall sales,” he said. BERNAMA reported the fair expects at least 2,300 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and 600 Malaysian exporters, running under the theme “Shaping Trust, Driving Resilience.” The Malaysian Reserve reported MIHAS 2026 is eyeing 45,000 visitors.

The sourcing mechanism behind WiEX’s buyer numbers isn’t new to the fair. INSP is the same International Sourcing Programme MATRADE uses to draw buyers across MIHAS 2026 as a whole, alongside a separate Hosted Buyer Programme, according to BERNAMA. The Halal Times has tracked MATRADE’s use of INSP at prior editions of the fair.

Four Components Built Around One Pavilion

WiEX @MIHAS comprises four parts, according to MATRADE: the WiEX Pavilion, the International Sourcing Programme (INSP), the WiEX Forum @MIHAS, and the Anugerah Wira Ekonomi Wanita awards. The pavilion allocates 80 booths, 60 for Malaysian companies and the rest for international exhibitors, and will showcase women-owned and women-led enterprises across MIHAS’ 14 halal industry sectors, MATRADE said.

MATRADE is bringing in 300 international buyers under INSP specifically to connect with WiEX Pavilion companies, and it aims to facilitate more than 120 business matching sessions for those exhibitors, the agency said. The WiEX Forum @MIHAS, themed “Thriving Through Uncertainty: How Women Exporters Can Adapt, Compete and Grow,” will bring together industry leaders, policymakers and exporters to discuss digitalization, artificial intelligence, market diversification and business resilience, according to MATRADE. The Anugerah Wira Ekonomi Wanita awards will recognize women exporters across three categories: Product Excellence, Service Excellence, and Innovation & Sustainability Excellence, continuing a recognition track The Halal Times has covered at prior MIHAS editions.

Why MATRADE Is Making the Case

MATRADE frames the platform in economic terms. “A halal economy that doesn’t fully harness the talent of women entrepreneurs is only operating at half its potential,” said Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, MATRADE’s chairman. He said WiEX @MIHAS “places women entrepreneurs at the forefront of driving innovation, quality, and market agility in the halal economy.”

CEO Abu Bakar Yusof echoed that framing. “Women entrepreneurs are increasingly driving innovation, creating jobs and contributing to economic growth,” he said. He added that WiEX is designed “to equip women-led businesses with the networks, knowledge, and market access needed to strengthen their export capabilities and compete globally.” MATRADE positions the initiative as support for Malaysia’s target of RM80 billion in halal exports by 2030, the agency said. The push adds to a wider conversation about women’s roles in the halal economy that The Halal Times has followed.

What the Buyer Numbers Measure

Two buyer figures attached to MIHAS 2026 count different things. The 300 international buyers MATRADE is bringing under INSP are earmarked specifically for the WiEX Pavilion’s women-led exhibitors, according to the agency’s WiEX launch announcement. Separately, BERNAMA’s broader MIHAS 2026 preview cites at least 2,300 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and a RM4.5 billion sales target across the entire fair, of which WiEX is one component among many.

MIHAS 2026 opens September 23-26 at MITEC, with WiEX @MIHAS marking its first appearance on the show floor as MATRADE works toward Malaysia’s RM80 billion halal export target by 2030, according to MATRADE.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MATRADE’s WiEX platform at MIHAS 2026?

It’s a MATRADE-run track for women-owned and women-led halal exporters launching at MIHAS 2026, running a dedicated pavilion, buyer meetings, a forum and an awards contest alongside the main fair, MATRADE said.

When and where is MIHAS 2026 held?

MIHAS 2026, the 22nd edition of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase, runs September 23-26, 2026, at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur, according to MATRADE.

How many booths does the WiEX Pavilion have?

MATRADE has allocated 80 booths to the WiEX Pavilion, 60 for Malaysian companies and the rest for international exhibitors, spanning MIHAS’ 14 halal industry sectors, the agency said.

How many buyers is MATRADE bringing for WiEX at MIHAS 2026?

MATRADE is bringing 300 international buyers through its International Sourcing Programme specifically for the WiEX Pavilion, separate from the broader MIHAS 2026 exhibitor count of at least 2,300 companies that BERNAMA reported.

What is Malaysia’s halal export target that WiEX supports?

MATRADE has tied WiEX to Malaysia’s broader goal of RM80 billion in halal exports by 2030, the agency said.