Delegates from across Africa—policymakers, culture custodians, investors, and creative economy leaders converged on Abuja from November 24–25 for what organisers described as a “historic continental intervention.”
The maiden Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo was, according to its convener, Mr. Chuks Akamadu, a moment for Africa to look in the mirror, to confront what we have and what we have refused to become.
Akamadu, Managing Director of Afrocultour Limited, which organised the event in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, delivered a blunt message: “Africa is sitting on a goldmine but behaving like a continent content with crumbs.”
The Minister, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mukhtar Muhammad Yawale.
Despite vast natural endowments, rich cultural assets, and vibrant creative talent, Africa contributes less than three percent to global trade. Intra-African trade remains notoriously low—an irony that continues to confound experts and frustrate policymakers.
“Something is wrong somewhere,” Akamadu told participants. “We are richly endowed, yet seem to have settled for voluntary lack.”
From globally recognised festivals—Algeria’s Timgad International Music Festival, Morocco’s Mawazine, Nigeria’s Durbar—to heritage sites like the Pyramids of Giza, Asmara’s modernist architecture, and the Dzanga Sangha Reserve, the continent remains under-leveraged. Poor infrastructure, weak policy frameworks, and fragmented markets continue to limit value creation.
When the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) launched in 2018, it promised to unlock the world’s largest free trade bloc. Seven years later, its potential remains largely unrealised.
Akamadu argues that AfCFTA cannot work as a government-only initiative. Businesses, creatives, civil society, and other non-state actors must take ownership. Without that philosophical shift, he warned, the agreement risks becoming “another noble idea stalled by continental inertia.”
Globally, services account for over two-thirds of GDP. Creative industries—film, fashion, music, digital content—and tourism are among the world’s fastest-growing and most lucrative sectors.
Africa, widely considered the cultural and ecological treasure chest of humanity, remains a marginal player.
Calling it “Africa’s most painful paradox,” Akamadu listed dormant opportunities ranging from Jos’ Puus Kat Festival to Cape Verde’s Pico do Fogo. “Why,” he asked, “would a continent so blessed with low-hanging economic fruits sit on her fortunes and remain an obvious destination for foreign aid?”
One of the Expo’s biggest unveilings was the Cultourmetre, a first-of-its-kind index designed to rank all 54 African countries on culture-tourism performance. The tool will evaluate: Budget allocation to culture and tourism, Sector contribution to GDP, infrastructure and policy development.
Afrocultour has already engaged the African Union Commission, AfCFTA Secretariat, Afreximbank, and a global audit firm to ensure credibility. The first annual report will be launched during the 2026 edition of the Expo. The Expo outlined clear, measurable goals: increase Africa’s share of global trade from 3% to at least 10%, Raise Africa’s global tourism revenue share from 5% to 20%
Achieving this requires coordinated policies, major infrastructure investments, incentives for the creative sector, and improved intra-African mobility. Participants described the targets as bold but realistic, noting—perhaps for the first time—a structured continental pathway.
Nigeria received commendation for hosting the maiden edition in partnership with Afrocultour. Delegates from several African nations and foreign missions attended, signalling a growing continental and global recognition of culture and tourism as key economic drivers.
For decades, Africa has leaned heavily on extractive industries and donor assistance despite global evidence that creativity, culture, and heritage can deliver exponential economic transformation.
Beyond the speeches, the Expo’s atmosphere reflected a continent aware of its potential, yet conscious of the widening gap between promise and performance.
The gala night honoured institutions and individuals already pushing the boundaries of Africa’s cultural economy.
But the event’s core message was captured in Akamadu’s closing charge: “Africa, arise and shine, for your hour has come.”
A communiqué issued at the end of the two-day gathering urged African governments to: Prioritise tourism and the creative economy as engines of development, raise Africa’s global trade share to 10% and tourism revenue to 20% by 2030, improve access to funding, create stronger legal frameworks and provide incentives to attract local and foreign investment, Strengthen institutional structures, taking cues from Nigeria’s model for synergy and productivity, Institutionalise the Expo (AFTCREE) as an annual event, rotating across Africa’s sub-regions to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and broad ownership.
The Expo offered both a wake-up call and a roadmap. Whether Africa seizes this moment may well determine its economic independence—and its place in the fast-evolving global economy.
Ityokura writes from Abuja
