Africa Creative Market 2025: A Four-Day Showcase of Innovation, Collaboration, and Global Bridges

The fourth edition of the Africa Creative Market (ACM) took place at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, following four days of transformative programs that showcased Africa’s creative excellence, global collaborations, and industry-shaping innovations. Held from September 16 – 19, 2025, ACM brought together creators, investors, policymakers, and cultural leaders from across Africa and beyond.

ACM 2025 covered all aspects of Africa’s creative economy, from foundational business skills to cutting-edge technology. The conference, which ran multiple sessions simultaneously, focused on film, television, fashion, music, digital creation, legal frameworks, and emerging technologies across four stages. This comprehensive approach brought together diverse creative industries in one place, positioning this year’s event as a pivotal platform for collaboration, learning, and collective impact across the creative sector.

The Women in Film and TV Conference was one of the program highlights, which brought together industry leaders from several countries, including Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Kenya, Cameroon, Zambia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and others. It featured various speakers, including the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the former First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, the veteran actress and producer Joke Silva, the British Council Country Director Donna McGowan, and the U.S. Consul General Rick Swart, who emphasized the importance of investing in skills and visibility for women’s stories.

The conference culminated in the prestigious WIFTAfrica Gala and Awards, which celebrated excellence, leadership, and creative impact across Africa’s screen industries. The evening honored trailblazers who are shaping the future of African storytelling; The GatesFoundation received the Alliance Vanguard Award, while Women in Film LA was honored with the Ignite Impact Award. Felicia Naiwa Sithebe received the Amplifier Award for their sustained commitment to empowering women in the global screen industries, and the U.S. Consulate General Lagos was honored with the Circle of Change Award. Fatou Jupiter was presented with the Next Frame Visionary Award, with Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi receiving the She Builds Nations Awards, and The Gurl Boss Productions being recognized with the Emerging Powerhouse Award. The Ladima Foundation was celebrated with the Pan-African Vanguard Award, while Joke Silva received the Creative Vanguard Award, and Bimbo Oloyede was recognized with the Legacy in Motion Award.

The Creative Continuum Africa Summit, led by renowned actor Bucci Franklin, opened with candid discussions on the well-being and long-term sustainability of creative professionals. Actors and creators, including Blossom Chukwujekwu, Bimbo Ademoye, Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Gabriel Afolayan, Adeola Kingsley James, Kyomnom Kachiro Bargo, Farai Ncube (British Council), and others. The summit reinforced the importance of creative wellness, financial literacy, and innovation as pillars for building resilient and globally competitive creative industries across Africa.

A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the Creative Continuum Toolkit, a resource designed to equip creatives with sustainable business strategies, alongside the presentation of a ₦5.5 million mentorship and training grant to support an emerging talent.
The NOVUS Art Summit celebrated creativity, innovation, and cultural exchange through a day of inspiring dialogue and artistic expression. Panelists, including Dr. Adeola Balogun, Yulia Daniels, Harry Kesiena, and Dotun Popoola, led thought-provoking conversations on art education, ethical collecting, the influence of technology on creativity, and the evolving art economy.

The summit successfully fostered collaboration, visibility, and critical discourse across Africa’s art ecosystem, positioning NOVUS as a catalyst for cultural advancement. Through its sessions and networking moments, the event reaffirmed the power of art as both a creative and economic force, bridging tradition, innovation, and the future of Africa’s cultural industries.

The Business of Photography Conference, convened by Kola Oshalusi, brought together creative entrepreneurs and industry leaders like Kelechi Amadi Obi, Mai Atafo, and Clarence Peters for an inspiring exploration of the evolving future of visual storytelling in Africa. Merging creativity with commerce, the conference provided practical strategies for building profitable and sustainable photography businesses while emphasizing digital transformation, intellectual property, and brand positioning. Speakers shared insights on how collaboration, capacity building, and technology can scale creative ventures and strengthen the continent’s visual storytelling ecosystem.
A highlight of the day was the ULANZI product display, showcasing cutting-edge tools that empower photographers to innovate and compete globally. Together, these sessions reaffirmed photography’s vital role as both an art form and an engine of Africa’s creative economy.

The Business of Entertainment Conference, curated by Mykel Parish, focused on the film industry, with trade, financing, and global distribution in Africa’s screen ecosystem as touch points. Delivering the keynote, Hon. Abdoulie Jobe, Gambia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, underscored creativity as a key driver of Africa’s economic transformation. An impactful panel with Delane Boakye, Sebo Lenyai, and Amb. Mohamadu Musa Nije explored how entertainment is reshaping Africa’s global image.

The session “Building the Bridge: Zambia × Nigeria Co-Productions for Global Markets,” moderated by Ade Laoye, brought together Fumba Chama (Permanent Secretary, MYSA, Government of Zambia), Chris Odey, and Moses Inwang to share insights on cross-border partnerships and co-production opportunities. Industry icons, including Ruth Kadiri Ezerika, Biodun Stephen, Frederick Leonard, led conversations on standardized contracts, cross-border collaboration, and the untapped potential of intellectual property across African markets.

A key highlight of the conference was the signing of an MOU between Dr. Inya Lawal, Convener of the Africa Creative Market, and Peter Pages Bwire of Kitale Film Week, Kenya. The partnership paves the way for collaboration between Nollywood and the East African film industry, strengthening cross-continental storytelling and creative exchange.

The FashionEVO Summit, convened by Dr. Yetty Ogunnubi and co-hosted with the British Council, positioned African fashion as a scalable global industry rather than merely a cultural expression. Olori Ronke Ademiluyi, Founder of Adire Oodua Textile Hub & Africa Fashion Week London/Nigeria, delivered a keynote address calling for increased investment in digital infrastructure and skills development. Industry experts Harriet Hala Kahuzu, Sandra Alonge, Kiki Okewale, Femi Olayebi, and Emmy Collins, amongst several others, shared insights on sustainable supply chains, continental collaboration, and investment opportunities.

The summit concluded with a spectacular FashionEVO Fashion Show and Awards, featuring avant-garde collections and dynamic performances by AMARELIS, KIJIPA COUTURE, HENRI UDUKU, YIGALOS, and others. The Awards segment celebrated outstanding achievements across the African fashion industry, recognizing Hon. Toke Benson for her leadership as a catalyst in the creative economy, Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi for her pioneering contributions to African textile heritage, Femi Olayebi for ecosystem building, and Clement “Mudi” Enajemo for his revolutionary menswear designs. Other distinguished honorees, such as Ugochukwu Monye, Sandra Alonge, Eneoma Azubike Chigo, Ejiro Amos-Tafiri, Frank Osodi, Bimpe Onakoya, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, and ACM Convener Dr. Inya Lawal, were also recognized for their enduring impact across fashion, beauty, and creative enterprise.

The Digital Creator Africa Summit centered on creative wealth generation, featuring leading voices such as Chude Jideonwo, Tosin Ajibade, Tomike Adeoye, Sisi Yemmie, David I. Adeleke, Chichi Nworah, Obi Asika, and Malik Afegbua. Convened by Ifeoma ‘Oma’ Areh, the programme served as a platform for creators to bridge the gap, diversify income, and build sustainable careers through keynotes, panels, workshops, pitch sessions, and brand activations.

While delivering his keynote speech, Chude Jideonwo announced the Fourth Mainland Creator Fund (4ML), a $500,000 (₦1 billion) investment initiative launching in January 2026 through Joy Inc. to support African creators directly. His message that “overtaking is allowed” resonated across the room, a reminder that in today’s creative economy, anyone can rise by their own creativity, consistency, and unique voice without waiting for traditional validation.

The British Council’s Creative Economy Week, which ran in partnership with ACM, convened policymakers, cultural leaders, and entrepreneurs to address policy, trade, and creative sector transformation. Speakers included Donna McGowan, Country Director of the British Council, Chikodi Onyemerela, Director of Programmes and Partnerships, Bambara-Abban Eneni, Film & Creative Technology Relationship Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Harry Kesiena, Head, Arts & Culture, British Council Nigeria, and several others. The event underscored the importance of evidence-driven approaches, IP protection, and strategic investment in scaling Africa’s creative industries.

Recognizing technology as the heartbeat of Africa’s creative economy, the ACM Hackathon brought together 27 teams (107 participants) who were challenged to develop multi-layered, Africa-led solutions to tackle the continent’s music and film distribution challenges, focusing on access, visibility, piracy, intellectual property rights, and monetization. Supported by Ascend Studios Foundation, Amazon Web Services (AWS), CcHub, Africa Creative Market (ACM), and NITDA, the hackathon showcased creativity, structure, diversity, and impact over four days of intense development and mentorship.

The jury featured a distinguished lineup of experts, including Chikodi Onyemerela (Director of Programmes, British Council Nigeria), Oludare Olarewaju (CEO, Raotech), Seyi Alawode (Founder, CHL World), Emmanuella Etuk (Head of Cloud Programs, Qucoon), Israel Aladejobi (Cloudplexo), Ike Nnabue (Filmmaker, Producer, and Director), and others.
Following rigorous evaluation and final presentations, FairPlay emerged as the overall winner, claiming the ₦10 million grand prize, while Jara and Polaroid secured the first and second runner-up positions, respectively, marking a defining moment for innovation in Africa’s creative-tech landscape.

The Global Creative Legal Summit served as a pivotal platform to examine pressing issues on intellectual property rights, AI disruption, and cross-border deal-making in the creative economy. The summit featured insights from legal and creative leaders such as Oyinkansola “Foza” Fawehinmi, Lola Oyekan, Angela Adebayo Agbe-Davies, Olamilekan Bamidele, and Perenami Momodu, who also led a mock arbitration session showcasing the power of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) with a grand prize of one million Naira (₦1,000,000) shared amongst the top 3 winners in resolving intellectual property and contractual disputes.

The Ideas Mill Africa by Bukola Oloyede brought together cross-sector innovators to explore collaboration and policy frameworks for Africa’s creative economy. Conversations featured voices such as Illbliss, Clarence Peters, Malik Afegbua, and Seju Alero Mike.
The Kingdom Film Festival (KFF), convened by Ewomaoghene Luther-Abegunde, brought together faith-based creatives, filmmakers, and cultural advocates to celebrate African storytelling through film while exploring themes of sustainability, cultural preservation, and creative entrepreneurship. Esteemed speakers Mike Bamiloye, Gloria Bamiloye, Ali Baba, Dr. Aisha Adamu-Augie, Mrs. Yemisi Oyebo, and Ngozi Akinyele shared insights on building legacy, archiving culture, and monetizing creative work.

The Creative Technology and Sports Entertainment Summit, held as part of Africa Creative Market (ACM) 2025, brought together leading innovators, creatives, technologists, investors, and policymakers to explore digital innovation as a transformative tool for Africa’s creative industries.

The summit featured the Youth in Animation and Post Production (YAPPI), alongside Moriam Ajaga, Special Adviser to the President on Arts & Culture, FRN, who shared insights on strategic arts policy. Samuel Igogo of Kickstarter and CCP highlighted investment opportunities for creative ventures, while Matthew Isikhuemen of Unreal Engine Nigeria discussed the power of advanced technology in content creation. The OSENGWA Creative Collective captivated attendees with their projects, complemented by a dynamic tech showcase from PlotWeaver, presented by Dr. Victor Okhai, President of the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria. The summit highlighted the vibrant intersection of creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship, showcasing the innovative spirit shaping Africa’s cultural industries.

The ACM Next Level Grand Finale brought the event to a celebratory close, spotlighting Africa’s emerging music talent. From ten initial contestants, five advanced to perform before a distinguished jury including Yinka Davies, Kaffy, Dolapo Amusat, FOZA Fawehinmi, and Omotolani Alake. Arité emerged as the winner, receiving a ₦3 million grant for music video production, a sponsored UK performance during the British Council’s Creative Economy Week, and a three-month mentorship.
ACM 2025’s success was strengthened by the support of its partners and collaborators, including cultural institutions, private organizations, government bodies, and international agencies.
These alliances not only enhanced the event’s credibility but also provided practical resources, ensuring that the impact of ACM extended beyond the event into sustainable sector-wide growth.

BellaNaija is a Media Partner for Africa Creative Market