AfCFTA Launches ‘Creatives Connect Afrika’ to Drive Intra-African Tourism, Trade, and Cultural Integration
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has launched a major initiative aimed at unlocking the vast potential of Africa’s creative economy, tourism, and cultural industries as engines of continental growth and integration.
The new platform — AfCFTA Forum and Festival on Tourism, Creatives and Cultural Industries, themed “Creatives Connect Afrika” — was officially unveiled in Lagos and will debut in Accra, Ghana, from November 24 to 26, 2025.
The initiative, launched in partnership with the Black Star Experience (BSE) and Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), is designed to harness Africa’s creativity and culture to drive sustainable economic transformation, job creation, and regional integration under the AfCFTA framework.
Creative Industries: Africa’s Next Economic Frontier
Speaking at the unveiling, Mrs. Emily Mburu-Ndoria, AfCFTA’s Director for Trade in Services, Investment, Intellectual Property Rights, and Digital Trade, described the creative, tourism, and cultural sectors as the “heartbeat” of Africa’s economic future.
“Our mission goes beyond trade statistics — it’s about empowering Africa’s youth to see creativity as both a passion and a pathway to prosperity,” she said.
“It’s also about supporting women entrepreneurs in film, fashion, and design to expand their reach and claim their rightful space in the global market.”
According to Mburu-Ndoria, Creatives Connect Afrika will focus on harmonising policies that ease intra-African trade in creative industries, removing regulatory barriers, and enhancing skills development to make African creatives globally competitive.
Connecting Africa’s Cultural Powerhouses
Rex Omar, Coordinator of the BSE Secretariat, said the collaboration with AfCFTA and ATP was a strategic step toward unlocking intra-African trade in the creative, tourism, and cultural sectors.
He revealed that the Black Star Experience, initiated under the Office of Ghana’s President, aims to position Ghana as Africa’s premier cultural and creative hub.
“This partnership empowers creative entrepreneurs — from filmmakers and designers to musicians and innovators — to trade services seamlessly across African borders,” Omar stated.
He added that the new platform will function as a hybrid marketplace, combining digital and physical engagement spaces to connect African creatives with investors, distributors, and policy partners. It will also feature capacity-building workshops on intellectual property protection, export compliance, and digital branding.
Tourism and Creativity as Catalysts for Integration
In his remarks, Mr. Kwakye Donkor, CEO of Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), said the platform is designed to spotlight Africa’s “pockets of excellence” in music, film, fashion, and cultural exchange while deepening regional cooperation.
“Film, music, and fashion are not just industries — they define our identity as Africans and connect us through shared heritage and expression,” Donkor said.
He noted that the initiative aligns with AfCFTA’s goal of positioning the creative and tourism sectors as pillars of sustainable economic integration and youth empowerment.
Nigeria: The Continent’s Creative Powerhouse
Donkor highlighted Nigeria’s pivotal role as Africa’s largest creative economy, urging Nigerian industry stakeholders, investors, and media platforms to actively support Creatives Connect Afrika.
“Nigeria remains the heartbeat of African creativity — from Nollywood to Afrobeats. Its participation and leadership are vital to building a unified, competitive African creative economy,” he said.
What to Expect at ‘Creatives Connect Afrika’
The three-day event in Accra will feature policy roundtables, high-level panel discussions, masterclasses for creative entrepreneurs, and exhibitions showcasing African excellence across fashion, film, and music.
The festival aims to strengthen cross-border partnerships, encourage investment in creative infrastructure, and promote Africa as a leading destination for cultural and creative tourism.
BRANDECONOMY Insight: Beyond the Festival — A Continental Imperative
AfCFTA’s creative industry initiative signals a strategic pivot in Africa’s trade and development architecture — from commodity dependence to value creation through intellectual capital and culture.
With over 1.4 billion people and a shared market potential of $3.4 trillion, Africa’s creative economy — valued at an estimated $58 billion — could become one of the fastest-growing contributors to GDP if properly integrated through policy alignment, digital trade, and cross-border collaboration.
The Creatives Connect Afrika platform, therefore, represents more than a festival — it is a blueprint for creative-led economic diversification under the AfCFTA era.
