Hauwa Lawal, Mai Atafo, Giase Baba, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi Attend NECLive 2025

The Nigerian Entertainment Conference, NECLive 2025, held on Friday, November 28, 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, marking another milestone in its 13-year history of shaping Africa’s entertainment landscape. Themed “Powering Africa Through Creative Enterprise,” NECLive 2025 explored transformative conversations about turning Africa’s cultural dominance into sustainable economic power.

Hosted by media personalities Tee A and Bolanle Olukanni, NECLive 2025 featured a line-up of over 50 notable speakers, including key executives Steve Babaeko, A’isha Umar Mumuni, Busola Tejumola, Atinuke Babatunde, Colette Otusheso, Ayeni Adekunle, Moliehi Molekoa, Ayo Animashaun, Efe Omoregbe, Darey Art Alade and Hammed Adebiyi; media personalities Lamide Akintobi, Hauwa Lawal, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Daniel Atteh, and Kola Omotoso; music artists Giase Baba and Ayo Maff; fitness enthusiast Ekemini Ekerette; and a host of other notable personalities. Also in attendance were the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Film and Video Censors Board, Shaibu Husseini, and fashion designer Mai Atafo.

The conference opened with a welcome conversation featuring Ayeni Adekunle, NECLive Convener, moderated by Lamide Akintobi. He explained that the world deserves to understand African entertainment better, and creativity has a role in solving Nigeria’s problems.

“Nigeria has some of the most brilliant creators in the world, but what is missing is the infrastructure that requires a lot of capital. We are potentially rich, with natural resources and people. We are clear about where we want to be, and I think we are on course.”

Ayeni Adekunle emphasised the importance of building awareness and investment:

“We need more forums like this. Thirteen years ago, when we started NECLive, it was the only one. Today, there is a conference every other day, and it’s good. The more awareness there is, the more investment there is, the more we can build.”

He also revealed plans to announce a fund next year to support young creators and innovators who lack access to conventional financing, signalling NECLive’s continued commitment to actionable solutions beyond dialogue.

Speakers and panellists consistently emphasised that while Nigeria’s creative economy is worth over $4.2 billion annually and African talent is gaining unprecedented global recognition, significant challenges remain. Infrastructure gaps, funding limitations, weak intellectual property protection, and distribution issues continue to prevent the continent from capturing its full share of the $2.25 trillion global creative economy.

However, NECLive 2025 made one thing abundantly clear: the conversation has evolved from whether Africa’s creative industries can compete globally to how quickly the continent can build the infrastructure, policies, and investment frameworks needed to capture and retain the value its creators generate.

NECLive 2025 was produced by Nigerian Entertainment Today and the Africa Creative Foundation, in association with ID Africa, BHM, and Huce Valeris. Sponsors included MultiChoice, MTN Nigeria, First Bank, and The Macallan.

BellaNaija is a Media Partner for Nigerian Entertainment Conference