Africa’s creative excellence, industry-shaping innovations and global collaborations was the preoccupation of the fourth edition of the Africa Creative Market (ACM) which took place recently at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The 4-day transformative programmes which brought together creators, investors, policymakers, and cultural leaders from across Africa and beyond 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 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.
Recognising 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.
The Women in Film and TV Conference was one of the programme 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 emphasised 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 honoured 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.
The conference featured the signing of an MOU between ACM Convener, Dr. Inya Lawal 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.
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 event also featured the FashionEVO Summit, convened by Dr. Yetty Ogunnubi and co-hosted with the British Council, a major session that showcased African fashion as a scalable global industry rather than a cultural expression. The Founder of Adire Oodua Textile Hub & Africa Fashion Week London/Nigeria, Olori Ronke Ademiluyi, 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 recognising 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 recognised 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.
