From November 17–22, Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) will stage a comeback to Lagos for its anniversary edition, celebrating five years of building one of Africa’s leading creative economy platforms.
Wit the theme: ‘Five Years of Closing the Gap’, this year’s programme will place a renewed focus on strengthening Africa’s music ecosystem by connecting artistes, producers, songwriters, publishers, labels, distributors and investors through practical opportunities that drive business growth and international market access.
As African music continues its unprecedented global rise, EWA 2026 is evolving beyond conversations to become a marketplace where music professionals can access funding, partnerships, distribution opportunities and cross-border collaborations.
The expanded programme will welcome delegates from 18+ African countries, creating a pan-African platform where talent meets capital, ideas become enterprise and music businesses are positioned for sustainable growth.
Over the past five years, Entertainment Week Africa has grown into a continental institution, welcoming more than 67,800 attendees across its first four editions. The 2025 edition attracted 28,683 pass holders, featured 20 music showcases, and generated over 800 million digital impressions, demonstrating the growing influence of African music and the demand for platforms that connect creators with commercial opportunities. Through the EWA Music Market, Deal Room, Capital Desk and Creative Connect, this year’s edition will provide artistes and music entrepreneurs with direct access to labels, publishers, distributors, investors, brands and global platforms.
Speaking, Deola Art Alade, Convener of Entertainment Week Africa and Group CEO of Livespot360, said: “As we celebrate five years of Entertainment Week Africa, our vision remains clear: to create stronger systems that help African creativity become long-term economic value. Music has become one of Africa’s most influential global exports, and EWA exists to ensure the talent behind that success has greater access to capital, partnerships, knowledge and international markets.”
Darey Art Alade, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Livespot360, added: “The future of African music extends beyond hit records. It is about building sustainable careers, strengthening the business behind the art and creating opportunities for creators to collaborate across borders. EWA continues to serve as the meeting point where creativity connects with enterprise and global opportunity.”
Meanwhile, registration and speaker submissions for the event are now open at www.ewafrica.com.
