Lagos will host the 2026 edition of Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) from 5 to 8 November at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, bringing together creative entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, artists and industry leaders from Africa, the Caribbean and the diaspora. Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and hosted by the Government of Nigeria, the four-day gathering will take place under the theme “One People, United in Culture, Creating for the World.” It is designed to strengthen the commercial potential of Africa’s creative industries through investment, cross-border partnerships, market access and cultural exchange.
A major feature of the programme will be the CANEX Deal Room, which will give creative businesses the opportunity to present investment-ready projects to international financiers and investors. The platform reflects a broader focus on transforming creative ideas and intellectual property into commercially viable enterprises. Business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking sessions will also connect African and diaspora creatives with potential buyers, distributors, institutional partners and international markets, creating opportunities for collaboration and business expansion.
Across music, fashion, visual arts, film and literature, CANEX WKND 2026 will feature a diverse programme of exhibitions, performances and industry engagements. The CANEX Music Factory will provide recording and music development opportunities, alongside the flagship CANEX WKND Music Concert. Fashion and visual arts will take centre stage through the Luxury Fashion Xchange, curated exhibitions and a major fashion show. The fourth edition of CANEX Shorts will showcase short films across fiction, documentary and animation, with cash prizes of US$2,000 for winners in each category. The CANEX Book Factory and creative writing workshops will further spotlight African publishing and literary talent, while celebrity chef showcases will celebrate the continent’s culinary heritage.
The gathering comes at a time when Africa’s creative and cultural industries are attracting greater attention as sources of employment, entrepreneurship, trade and intellectual property value. Previous CANEX editions have demonstrated the platform’s commercial reach, with the 2024 gathering in Algiers attracting close to 4,000 participants from 81 countries and facilitating deals valued at more than US$540 million, according to the African Union Commission. With its combination of investment opportunities, creative showcases and international networking, CANEX WKND 2026 positions Lagos as a meeting point for the people and businesses shaping the next chapter of Africa’s creative economy.
