Setting New Standard for Creative Industry Convergence!
The inaugural Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) successfully concluded its six-day festival, uniting creators, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders across Lagos. Hosted across five major venues. Livespot Entertainment, Eko Hotel, EbonyLife Place, Alliance Française, and Heritage Place, the event established a powerful new platform for pan-African creative collaboration and global cultural dialogue.
Record-Breaking Participation and Reach
EWA 2025 attracted 28,683 attendees from over 8 countries and 50 industries, with significant representation from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. The festival’s digital footprint exceeded 800 million impressions worldwide, with over 5 million online engagements spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.
A Multi-Disciplinary Creative Hub
Under the theme “Close the Gap,” the festival featured 61 sessions with more than 150 speakers, alongside 93 film screenings, 20 music showcases, and 9 fashion showcases. It also included a dedicated tech and innovation wing, hosting 9 startups in the Deal Room accelerator, 10 Hackathon teams, and 8 producers and songwriters in the Soundlab programme.
Key Highlights and Outcomes
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The Deal Room: 178 applications were received, with 9 startups selected for the accelerator. Four companies—Akitvate, FriendnPal, Growwr, and Sports Reels—were identified as investment-ready, attracting strong investor interest.
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Hackathon: 10 teams participated in a 48-hour product sprint, resulting in three standout ventures: Musetter, Owambe, and Alaba.
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Story Lab: In partnership with Netflix, Amazon Prime, NdaniTV, and Africa Magic, 8 emerging writers developed 6 polished story concepts under industry mentorship.
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Fashion & Music Focus: Emerging designers and artists took center stage, while a powerful panel featuring Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Waje, Qing Madi, and Sasha P addressed gender representation in music.
Leadership and Global Endorsement
The event was attended by dignitaries including British Deputy High Commissioner Johnny Baxter, Lagos Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture Toke Benson-Awoyinka, and Minister of Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole. In her closing address, Livespot360 Managing Director Tiwa Medubi emphasized the festival’s mission: “We brought talent, capital, policy, and platforms into the same room—not in theory, but in practice.”
Looking Ahead
Founder Deola Art Alade shared, “Our ambition is for Entertainment Week Africa to become a vital part of Lagos’s economic, intellectual, and artistic capital.” EWA will return from November 17–22, 2026, under the continued theme “Closing the Gap,” with expanded programming and a deepened commitment to Africa’s creative growth.
EWA 2025 was supported by leading sponsors and partners including Livespot, Heineken, MTN, TikTok, the British High Commission, Netflix, and many others.
Media Contact:
Onyinyechukwu Okafor & Joy Teddy – FOLA PR
Email: onyinye@folapr.com / joy@folapr.com
Follow EWA:
Instagram: @ewafrica_ | @Livespot360
Website: www.ewafrica.com
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