FG unveils Afrocentric Expo 2026, projects N125 million local economic injection

The Federal Government has unveiled the Afrocentric Cultural Expo 2026, with organisers projecting more than N125 million in direct economic injection into Nigeria’s local economy.

The 10-day Pan-African cultural and economic event is scheduled to hold from Nov. 7 to Nov. 18 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Complex, Abuja.

The Expo is organised by the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, in collaboration with the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce-USA (NICOCUSA).

It is also being organised with the Afrocentric Global Expo Organising Committee.

Representing Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Jemma Amachree, Special Adviser to the Minister on Job Creation, unveiled the initiative, on Friday.

Amachree said the Expo had the potential to redefine how the world saw, experienced, and engaged with Africa.

She said the initiative was designed to enable Africa to reclaim its narrative and derive greater economic value from its cultural and creative resources.

She noted that Africa’s art, fashion, music, film, and culinary heritage had enriched the global stage for decades.

However, she said economic benefits generated from the continent’s creativity had often failed to reach the creators of the wealth.

According to her, the time had come for Africa to build its own economy around its cultural and creative assets.

“In strategic partnership with NICOCUSA, driven by the dedication of Gregory Uche and his team, the Federal Ministry is bringing the world to Nigeria,” she said.

Amachree disclosed that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Complex would be transformed into a major global centre for African heritage, culture, creativity, and enterprise.

She described the Afrocentric Cultural Expo as more than a festival, saying it would serve as a major economic activation aimed at stimulating the creative economy.

She said the organisers projected a direct economic injection of more than N125 million into the local economy.

According to her, more than 1,000 exhibition booths would be made available to vendors, entrepreneurs, and large-scale enterprises.

Amachree said the Expo would combine an Afrocentric Music Festival, Film Festival, high-fashion exhibition, and global business and investment forum.

She added that the event would connect the African diaspora in the Americas, Caribbean, Europe, and Asia with opportunities on the continent.

The minister’s representative said the Expo could rival the historic grandeur of FESTAC ’77, with programmes celebrating African culture, intellect, enterprise, and youth.

She said the programmes would include university debates, heritage awards, and activities celebrating African youth, including a continental football tournament.

Amachree stressed the need for Africa to tell its story confidently and ensure its cultural resources were valued as economic assets.

“The time has come for our culture to be valued not only as heritage but also as an economic asset,” she said.

She said African creative talents deserved markets commensurate with their potential and called for greater global attention to the continent’s tourism destinations.

According to her, Africa’s creativity could become a stronger driver of jobs, investment, innovation, and sustainable development.

Amachree said the Ministry recognised that an Expo of such magnitude required collaboration among governments, the private sector, and international partners.

She assured stakeholders that the Ministry would ensure the Expo was professionally delivered, commercially viable, and inclusive.

She said the Ministry would also work to make the initiative a sustainable platform beyond its inaugural edition.

According to her, stakeholders were being engaged to ensure measurable outcomes in investment, business partnerships, tourism, market access, employment, and skills development.

“Our ambition is not simply to organise an event, but to build an institutional platform with lasting economic and cultural impact,” she said.

Amachree described the initiative as a celebration of African identity and a marketplace for African creativity.

She said it would also serve as a bridge connecting Africa with the rest of the world.

The minister’s representative called on Nigerians, Africans, members of the diaspora, investors, businesses, and other stakeholders to support and participate in the Expo.

She said the Federal Government was formally unveiling the project as a platform through which the world could experience Africa and discover Nigeria.

Amachree expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute to cultural preservation, tourism, sustainable prosperity for African youths.

Uche seeks global support

Meanwhile, Gregory Uche, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NICOCUSA, called for stronger collaboration and global support for the Afrocentric Cultural Expo 2026.

Uche said the project, conceived about eight years ago in Los Angeles, United States, was designed to unite Africans and the diaspora.

He said the initiative would provide a platform to celebrate African heritage while creating economic, business, and investment opportunities across the continent.

“This project is not for Nigeria alone. It is for the entire Africa. It is designed and created to be the largest cultural platform globally,” he said.

Uche said the Expo would feature 12 major events running simultaneously throughout the 10-day programme.

He said the organisers were working to position Nigeria as a global cultural authority through its arts, fashion, music, food, and creative industries.

He added that the initiative would help correct negative perceptions about Nigeria by showcasing its cultural wealth and creative talents.

Uche noted that the success of Nigerian artistes, particularly internationally recognised Afrobeats stars, had demonstrated the country’s growing global cultural influence.

He said the Afrocentric Music Festival would provide a platform to discover and develop emerging artistes, adding that about 300 artistes had registered.

“We want to discover more talent, the future Davido, the future Burna Boy, and package them not only to entertain us here,” he said.

Uche also highlighted the Afrocentric Fashion Week, which would cover the fashion value chain from cotton production and harvesting to textiles and finished products.

He said the programme would spotlight Nigeria’s textile industry and the potential of cities such as Kaduna to regain their status as textile manufacturing centres.

Another component, African Women Are Gorgeous (AWAG) International, would celebrate African women for achievements in business, politics, economics, academia, and other fields.

According to Uche, AWAG would move beyond conventional beauty contests by highlighting African women’s intellectual capacity, achievements, and cultural heritage.

He said the Expo would also feature the Afrocentric Cultural Dance programme, showcasing the richness and diversity of African traditional and contemporary dance.

Uche said the Afrocentric University Intellectual Debate would provide African universities and students with opportunities to demonstrate intellectual capacity and promote educational exchanges.

The Custodians of African Heritage Awards, also known as the Kings and Queens Awards, would honour traditional rulers for preserving African heritage.

“We created this to honour the custodians of our heritage — our traditional rulers,” Uche said.

He said emirs, sultans, Igwes, Obas, Onis, and other traditional leaders from across Africa would be invited to receive recognition.

Uche also announced the Afrocentric Food Expo, which would showcase African cuisine and its growing acceptance in international markets.

He noted that Nigerian dishes, including amala, had gained popularity outside Africa, adding that the Expo would promote African culinary heritage globally.

The Afrocentric Film Festival would provide opportunities for graduating film students and emerging filmmakers to showcase their productions.

Uche said the NICOCUSA Business Summit would serve as the business component connecting the various activities, with emphasis on investment, trade, and partnerships.

According to him, Nigeria’s industrial and commercial base made the country strategically positioned as a hub for African trade and cultural exchange.

“We want Nigeria to be the centre. This project is a Pan-African movement. It is a Pan-African project,” Uche said.

He stressed that the initiative required collaboration among governments, the private sector, international organisations and other institutions.

“There is no way in this world that we could carry out this project without collaboration,” he said.

Uche disclosed that Nigeria would host the inaugural edition, while plans were underway to expand the Expo to other African countries.

He thanked the organising team, ministry officials, partners, delegates and the media for supporting the unveiling.

SMPN pledges support

Meanwhile, Michael Igwe-Kalu, Project Manager, Strategic Marketing Partnership Network (SMPN), said the organisation would support the Expo.

He said SMPN would connect African students, entrepreneurs, creatives and businesses with global corporations and investors.

Igwe-Kalu said the initiative was important because of opportunities he wished he had accessed as a young graduate.

“If I had access to an opportunity like this in my early years after graduation, I believe I would have connected with many more global corporations,” he said.

He said SMPN was established to make such opportunities accessible to students and young people across Africa.

“Our message is clear: connect, collaborate and transform Africa,” Igwe-Kalu said.

He said SMPN representatives would identify and bring global corporations, investors, institutions and businesses into the Expo as partners and participants.

According to him, the objective was to create a platform where African and global partners could exchange ideas, showcase innovations and explore investment opportunities.

He said the platform would also facilitate business relationships and lasting partnerships beyond the 10-day event.

“Through the Afrocentric Cultural Expo, we are building a bridge between African talent, businesses and the global market,” he said.

Igwe-Kalu said SMPN would provide structured marketing opportunities through approved referral activities for eligible representatives.

He said the initiative would create opportunities for young graduates, entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives and communities seeking international markets and partnerships.

The organisers said the Expo would provide an environment for participants to connect, collaborate, market, invest and build relationships beyond the event.

They expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy and NICOCUSA for supporting and endorsing the initiative. (NAN)