Accra, Ghana, will host the maiden edition of the Creative Connect Africa Forum and Festival from November 24 to 26, 2025, an event designed to deepen intra-African collaboration across the creative, tourism, and cultural sectors.
Organised by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in partnership with Africa Tourism Partners (ATP) and the Black Star Experience, the initiative was officially launched in Lagos, Nigeria.
The forum and festival will focus on dismantling barriers within Africa’s creative economy, strengthening strategic partnerships, and showcasing the continent’s rich cultural diversity through film, music, fashion, and tourism.
Speaking at the launch, the Director for Trade in Services, Investment, Intellectual Property Rights, and Digital Trade at AfCFTA, Mrs. Emily Mburu-Ndoria, described the event as ‘a significant milestone in Africa’s integration and development agenda.’
She said; “Today is a milestone moment. The tourism, creative and cultural sectors of Africa spanning film, music, fashion, design, digital content, hotels and restaurants, tour guides, and tour operators are not just industries.
They are the heartbeat of our economies, the custodians of our heritage, the storytellers of our shared identity, and a driving force for inclusion and innovation.
“They represent our past, reflect our present, and, most importantly, are shaping the future of this continent.”
Mburu-Ndoria emphasised the need for collective action to empower youth and women entrepreneurs, promote authentic African narratives, and ensure sustainable cultural and economic growth.
“The upcoming Forum and Festival in Accra, themed ‘Creatives Connect Afrika,’ will be a pioneering event — the first of its kind under the AfCFTA.
It is not just a gathering but a call to action, a platform for meaningful dialogue, and an opportunity to identify practical solutions that will unlock the full potential of Africa’s tourism, creative, and cultural industries,” she said.
The three-day programme will feature panel discussions with policymakers, creatives, and investors; exhibitions highlighting African film, music, and fashion; training sessions and masterclasses for emerging entrepreneurs; and business matchmaking activities to promote partnerships and investment.
The festival will also showcase Africa’s vibrant culture through fashion shows, concerts, and artistic performances.
Mburu-Ndoria further disclosed that subsequent editions of the event would be hosted by other regions across the continent to ensure balance and inclusivity.
“From Ghana in West Africa, we plan to move to other regions of the continent so that we can achieve balance and inclusion,” she noted.
Also speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Tourism Partners, Mr. Kwakye Donkor, underscored the importance of cross-country collaboration to strengthen Africa’s creative and tourism industries.
“We are very passionate about bringing the continent together despite our differences. We see those differences as unique strengths. If we harness them collectively, there is much we can achieve as a continent,” Donkor said.
He added that Africa’s creative expressions from music to film and fashion are powerful tools for storytelling, cultural exchange, and economic growth.
The forthcoming event will also celebrate the long-standing camaraderie and friendly rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria, two of Africa’s leading creative powerhouses.
It will feature participants from across the continent as well as guests from the Caribbean, including Jamaica and Barbados, in a bid to strengthen inter-African trade and promote deeper collaboration within the creative and cultural sectors.