AfroVision X kicks off 2026 Nigeria drive

The Nigerian activation of AfroVision X 2026, a month-long global festival celebrating African and Caribbean creativity, set to take place across Toronto, Brampton, and Mississauga, Canada, from June 1 to June 30, 2026, has officially kicked off.

The Lagos press conference brought together leaders from business, policy, culture, and the arts, signalling a coordinated national push to convert Nigeria’s cultural influence into structured economic advantage.

David Bebiem, Convener of AfroVision X and CEO of Grandieu, who travelled from Canada for the launch, described Nigeria as the central hub of the festival’s global architecture.

“Nigeria is the heartbeat of modern African creativity,” Bebiem said. “From music and film to fashion and digital arts, this nation shapes global culture. AfroVision X 2026 is intentionally designed as a structured marketplace — a convergence point for creatives, investors, brands, and diaspora networks to generate measurable economic impact.”

The festival will feature fashion showcases, film screenings, music concerts, theatre productions, exhibitions, and high-level industry roundtables, culminating in a global awards platform.

Leading Nigeria’s coordination is Inspiro Productions, with Founder and CEO Ayoola Sadare highlighting the need to move from informal cultural export to intentional trade.

“Nigeria already exports culture organically,” Sadare said. “AfroVision X provides the infrastructure to transform that influence into capital access, diaspora engagement, and institutional growth. This is about positioning our creatives within formal global economic systems.”

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed strong support. Obukome Elaine Ibru-Mukoro, Chairperson of the Chamber’s Creative Economy Sector, described the initiative as timely and aligned with Nigeria’s economic priorities. She was joined by Andre Bassey, Director of Programmes for the Creative and Entertainment Sector.

Industrialist Prince Adeyemi-Doro, founder of the Adeyemi-Doro Group, highlighted the role of technology in scaling the creative economy.

“The intersection of Artificial Intelligence, digital infrastructure, and the creative economy is where talent converts into scalable value,” he said. “With the right systems, young Nigerian creatives can compete and win in structured global markets.”

Cultural advocate, Oluwatoyin Shogbesan of the Asa Heritage Foundation stressed the importance of narrative ownership in international cultural exchange, drawing on her curatorial work at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Lagos.