Africa’s creative ecosystem is about to descend on Lagos once again, and this time, the bags are going to be significantly heavier. From November 17 to 22, 2026, Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) is back for its highly anticipated fifth-anniversary edition. This milestone year is all about evolution, transitioning from a beloved cultural gathering into a powerhouse creative-economy platform. Under the theme “Closing the Gap”, EWA is stepping up to ensure that the massive global visibility of African culture is finally converted into long-term wealth, ownership, and real opportunities across the continent’s $59 billion creative industry.
What started as a localized Lagos industry meetup has officially exploded into a pan-African movement. Over its first four editions, EWA has welcomed a staggering 67,800+ cumulative attendees. Last year’s edition alone pulled in nearly 29,000 pass-holders from over eight countries and fifty industries across 61 sessions, 93 film screenings, 20 music showcases and 9 fashion showcases, generating over five million online engagements and 800 million digital reach and impressions across Africa, Asia, North America and Europe.
If you are an artist, producer, songwriter, or executive, EWA 2026 is where you need to be. The music programming has officially become one of the event’s most active commercial engines. Building on the success of last year’s twenty showcases and the genius Soundlab, which brought together eight producers and eight songwriters, and music market partnerships with Empire and Virgin Music, creating one of the most structured environments for the business of African music on the continent. EWA’s Content and Music Markets return with expanded programming, connecting artists, labels, publishers, and rights holders with buyers, distributors, and investors in structured commercial sessions designed to move deals forward.
EWA has also been busy doing groundwork on the global stage. Through its exclusive “Creative Connect” series, the platform has already hosted elite networking events in Los Angeles during Grammy Week and in London during the Nigeria-UK state visit. These moves brought key executives from Warner Records, Amazon, Dramabox, Afrexim, Unilever, the British Film Institute, Diageo, NBO Capital, Ministry of Trade and Investment, and many more global brands, bringing senior diplomatic figures into direct engagement with Africa’s creative economy.
EWA 2026 is expanding its reach across seven core tracks: Music, Film & TV, Fashion & Beauty, AI & Tech, Art & Animation, Live Events & Production, and Creative Enterprise. The entire week is anchored by the EWA Deal Room, its Content and Music Markets, the EWA Capital Desk, the Creators Hub and LABSPOT, which acts as the ultimate skills development hub. Last year’s Deal Room saw over 178 entries, with companies like Aktivate, FriendnPal, Growwr, and Sports Reels securing serious investor attention from powerhouse firms like Future Africa, Catalyst Fund, Consonance Invest and Askya Investment Partners. For 2026, EWA will design more intentional pathways between creatives, founders, investors, commissioners, buyers, distributors, platforms and institutions.
“As we mark five years of EWA, this moment is deeply significant,” said Deola Art Alade, Convener of Entertainment Week Africa and Group CEO of Livespot. “EWA started with a simple but urgent belief: African creativity deserves stronger platforms, better access and greater value. Today, the work is no longer just about convening the industry; it is about building the systems that help talent meet capital, ideas meet opportunity, and culture become long-term economic power. EWA 2026 is our boldest expression of that mission.”
“Entertainment Week Africa has always sat at the intersection of creativity, culture and opportunity,” said Darey Art Alade, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Livespot. “As EWA enters its fifth year, we are focused on creating an experience that is not only inspiring, but useful. The next generation of African creative talent needs access, learning, platforms, community and real pathways into work and enterprise. EWA 2026 is about building those bridges with intention.”
If you are ready to take your creative career or business to the next level, registration and speaker submissions for EWA 2026 are officially open. Head over to ewafrica.com to secure your spot and join the conversation.
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