Lagos to host CANEX WKND 2026 creative industry event

Lagos is set to host the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) from November 5 to 8, 2026. Organized by Afreximbank, the event aims to transform African music, cinema, fashion, publishing, and gastronomy into exportable industries capable of attracting significant capital.

The event will primarily take place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, the former site of the 1977 FESTAC festival. Under the theme “One People, United in Culture, Creating for the World: From FESTAC 77 to CANEX 27,” the weekend serves as a precursor to the fifth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2027) scheduled for Nigeria in November 2027.

Organizers expect over 10,000 delegates, including artists, entrepreneurs, investors, and government representatives from Africa, the diaspora, and the Caribbean. The program includes masterclasses on financing and intellectual property, a summit on the global African creative economy, and various cultural showcases.