Africa’s creative industry is set to receive a major financial boost following the expansion of the African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) creative economy financing initiative to $2 billion, as the 2026 edition of Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND opened in Lagos.
The four-day event, which commenced on November 5 and will run until November 8, 2026, has brought together prominent creatives, investors, policymakers, business executives and cultural leaders from across Africa and the diaspora to explore investment opportunities and strengthen the commercial potential of the continent’s creative industries.
Hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria and organised by Afreximbank through its Creative Africa Nexus programme, CANEX WKND 2026 is being held under the theme, “One People, United in Culture, Creating for the World.”
The event focuses on key sectors of the creative economy, including film and television, music, fashion, sports, literature, publishing, gastronomy and visual arts.
Beyond celebrating African culture and creative excellence, the initiative is designed to address critical challenges confronting the industry, particularly access to finance, intellectual property protection, technology, skills development, investment and international market access.
The expanded $2 billion financing commitment represents a significant intervention in efforts to transform Africa’s creative industries into sustainable and globally competitive businesses.
According to the report, Afreximbank’s support for the continent’s creative and cultural industries began in 2020 and has since grown into a financing initiative with $2 billion in available funding.
The funding is expected to support African creatives, entrepreneurs and businesses seeking to expand their operations, develop commercially viable projects, protect intellectual property and retain a greater share of the economic value generated by African cultural products.
Through platforms such as the CANEX Deal Room and Creative Pitch Sessions, participants will have opportunities to connect with investors, financial institutions and business partners capable of supporting the growth of their enterprises.
The initiative also seeks to address the longstanding challenge of turning Africa’s enormous creative talent into structured businesses capable of competing in international markets.
The 2026 edition has attracted an impressive lineup of internationally recognised personalities from entertainment, literature, sports and the creative industries.
Among the notable participants are Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, Emmy Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba, filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele, actors Richard Mofe-Damijo and Thuso Mbedu, and former professional football stars Didier Drogba and Jay-Jay Okocha.
Musical performances will also feature prominent African entertainers, including Davido, Fally Ipupa, Flavour, Libianca and Charlotte Dipanda.
The opening ceremony is expected to feature senior government officials and representatives of major African institutions, including Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr George Elombi; Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; AfCFTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene; and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Ministers responsible for culture and creative industries from 11 African countries are also expected to participate.
One of the major highlights of the programme is the Creative Economy Finance Summit, organised by Afreximbank in partnership with the Creative Economy Practice at Co-Creation Hub.
The summit will bring together financial institutions, investors and industry stakeholders to examine practical ways of structuring, financing and reducing investment risks in creative-economy transactions.
Another major platform, CANEX Creations Inc., will focus on unlocking investment opportunities in African intellectual property and ensuring that creators benefit economically from the commercial exploitation of their work.
Technology will also feature prominently, with discussions examining artificial intelligence, authorship, intellectual property rights and the application of digital tools in developing globally competitive creative products.
Technology and innovation will receive additional attention through the CANEX CreaThon, organised in partnership with pan-African technology company Gebeya.
The initiative will bring together creators, developers and innovators to develop projects across music, video and gaming.
Participants will have access to digital tools, mentorship and computing resources, alongside a $50,000 prize pool designed to encourage innovation and support promising creative projects.
Film and television will feature prominently through discussions on storytelling, international distribution and the commercial infrastructure required to expand African content beyond the continent.
One of the sessions, titled “Stories Without Borders: Africa, Hollywood & the Global Diaspora,” will feature former Afreximbank President Professor Benedict Oramah.
Another session, “Made in Africa, Watched in Africa,” will examine research into film distribution, audience development and financing across Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa.
The discussions are expected to explore how African filmmakers can strengthen their distribution networks, attract investment and increase the global visibility of locally produced films and television content.
The fashion programme will include masterclasses on building profitable African fashion brands, strengthening textile value chains, expanding access to international markets and protecting intellectual property.
The activities will also feature the CANEX Fashion Show and Awards Night.
In the food and hospitality sector, the CANEX Junior Chefs Competition, Africa Jollof Wars Competition and live culinary demonstrations will showcase African cuisine while exploring opportunities to commercialise indigenous ingredients, recipes and culinary traditions.
Publishing and literature will feature the CANEX Book Factory, Book Fair, writers’ workshops, manuscript pitching sessions and the CANEX Prize for Publishing.
Visual artists will also have opportunities to showcase their works through exhibitions, collector engagement sessions and practical industry discussions.
Sports will form another important part of CANEX WKND 2026, with discussions focusing on athlete development, sports management and the commercial opportunities within Africa’s sporting industry.
Former football stars Didier Drogba and Jay-Jay Okocha are scheduled to participate in a session titled “When Giants Speak: The Business of the Game.”
A Legends Football Match is also scheduled to take place at Onikan Stadium on November 8.
The programme will further feature a major concert on November 7, bringing together performers from Africa and the diaspora.
The final day will include cultural excursions, gastronomy activities, the CANEX Music Factory Songwriting Camp and the Legends Football Match.
The expansion of Afreximbank’s creative industry financing initiative comes amid growing international recognition of Africa’s cultural influence through music, film, fashion, literature, sports and entertainment.
However, industry stakeholders continue to face challenges involving inadequate financing, limited distribution networks, intellectual property disputes and difficulties accessing international markets.
Through CANEX WKND, Afreximbank is seeking to bridge these gaps by connecting creative talents with investors, financial institutions, technology providers and international business opportunities.
The initiative also reflects a broader ambition to ensure that Africa does not merely export creative talent and cultural content but builds strong commercial institutions capable of generating jobs, attracting investment and retaining more economic value within the continent.
With its $2 billion financing commitment and extensive programme of investment discussions, CANEX WKND 2026 is positioning Africa’s creative economy as an increasingly important contributor to economic diversification, entrepreneurship and global trade.
