FG Looks to Creative Economy for More Investment, Exports and Jobs as CANEX 2026 Approaches
Reported By Facthabournews
The Federal Government has said it plans to use Nigeria’s growing creative economy to expand international trade, attract investment, increase exports and create more employment opportunities as the country prepares to host the 2026 Creative Africa Nexus Weekend, known as CANEX WKND, in Lagos.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this during a briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on preparations for the four-day event scheduled for November 5 to 8, 2026.
CANEX WKND 2026 is expected to bring together creative professionals, businesses, investors, policymakers, financiers and industry leaders from Africa, the Caribbean and the wider diaspora. The official event platform describes the gathering as a major meeting point for Africa’s creative industries, with business networking, deal-making and collaboration forming important parts of the programme.
Oduwole said the Federal Government wants the event to move beyond the celebration of Nigerian and African creativity by creating practical commercial opportunities for people and businesses operating across the creative sector.
She explained that Nigeria has developed considerable strengths in areas such as music, film, fashion, literature, visual arts, gastronomy, sports and technology. According to the minister, the government’s objective is to connect these creative activities with finance, investors, distribution channels, technology and international markets.
The minister’s position reflects a broader effort to treat creative activity as an economic sector capable of generating businesses, intellectual property, exports and employment rather than viewing it only from a cultural or entertainment perspective.
Oduwole said CANEX should help turn relationships created during the event into actual commercial transactions and long-term partnerships.
More than 10,000 participants are expected to attend CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, with the Federal Government expressing confidence that Nigeria could record a strong showing at the event.
The official CANEX platform says the 2026 gathering will feature business-to-business and business-to-government opportunities alongside cultural and creative activities. It will cover areas including film, music, fashion, literature, visual arts, gastronomy, sports, arts, crafts and design.
The event is being organised by the African Export-Import Bank, Afreximbank, as part of its Creative Africa Nexus initiative, with Nigeria hosting the 2026 edition.
The gathering is expected to give Nigerian creative businesses an opportunity to interact with buyers, investors, financiers and potential partners from different markets.
The government also plans to give states an opportunity to promote their creative and cultural assets. Oduwole said the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are expected to have pavilion spaces where they can present their creative industries, products and cultural offerings.
Such participation could provide states with an avenue to promote local businesses, cultural attractions, tourism opportunities and products with potential for domestic and international markets.
The Federal Government is also treating the event as a multi-agency undertaking. Oduwole said several government institutions are involved in preparations, including the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, National Theatre and Lagos State Government.
Security preparations are also being incorporated into the planning process because of the international participation expected in Lagos.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, said the Nigeria Police Force had been brought into the preparations early to allow sufficient time for security planning and coordination.
According to Disu, the police authorities are working to ensure that international visitors and other participants can attend the event in a secure environment.
He said the Commissioner of Police and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police responsible for Zone 2 had been given responsibilities relating to security arrangements for the programme.
The police chief also proposed the inclusion of a police pavilion at the event, where the force could showcase aspects of its security operations and engage with visitors.
The involvement of security agencies is expected to cover the event venue, accommodation areas, transportation routes and other locations associated with the movement of participants.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also expected to play a major role in attracting international participation.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, said Nigerian diplomatic missions would be used to circulate information about CANEX and encourage participation from other African countries and international partners.
He said the ministry was working with relevant agencies to support visa processing and other arrangements required by international visitors.
The ministry is also expected to coordinate protocol and related services for participants arriving in Nigeria.
Enikanolaiye described the creative economy as an important component of Nigeria’s soft-power strategy, arguing that the country’s creative talent could contribute to its international engagement and economic interests.
Nigeria’s creative industries already have a significant international presence, particularly in music, film, fashion and literature. Nigerian musicians, filmmakers, designers and other creators have built audiences outside the country, creating opportunities for exports of creative products and services.
The challenge for policymakers and industry stakeholders is increasingly about how to convert that international visibility into sustainable businesses, investment and employment.
CANEX is designed to address part of that challenge by bringing creators together with the financial and commercial ecosystem required to develop their businesses.
Afreximbank’s CANEX programme supports the development of Africa’s creative and cultural industries through financing and non-financing interventions, trade promotion and efforts to improve access to markets. The bank has also identified intellectual property, production capacity and access to international demand as important components of the creative economy.
The 2026 Lagos edition will therefore have a significant business component in addition to performances, exhibitions and cultural activities.
The official CANEX programme highlights networking, deal-making and other opportunities designed to connect creative businesses with investors and commercial partners.
Nigeria’s hosting of CANEX is also linked to the country’s plans to host the 2027 Intra-African Trade Fair in Lagos.
Oduwole said the Intra-African Trade Fair, scheduled for 2027, is expected to attract more than 100,000 participants. The two events form part of the government’s wider effort to position Nigeria as an important destination for African trade, investment and enterprise.
The planned trade fair is expected to provide another platform for Nigerian businesses and state governments to connect with buyers, investors and companies from across Africa and beyond.
The Federal Government has consequently presented CANEX 2026 and IATF 2027 as complementary opportunities for expanding Nigeria’s participation in continental commerce.
For the creative sector, the immediate focus is now on November’s event in Lagos.
The official CANEX website lists November 5 to 8 as the dates for the 2026 edition and identifies the Wole Soyinka Centre for Cultural and Creative Arts in Lagos as the venue.
The programme is expected to feature activities across several creative fields, including music, film, fashion, literature, visual arts, gastronomy and sports, alongside business meetings and investment opportunities.
Industry participants will also have opportunities to engage with issues involving intellectual property, financing, market access, technology and the commercialisation of creative products.
For Nigerian entrepreneurs in the creative sector, the significance of the event could extend beyond the four days of activities if business connections made during the programme develop into contracts, investments, distribution agreements or long-term partnerships.
The government is therefore encouraging businesses, investors and other stakeholders to approach the event as a commercial platform rather than simply a cultural gathering.
The emphasis on trade and investment also reflects the increasing contribution of services and creative industries to modern economies. Digital distribution has made it possible for creative products produced in Nigeria to reach consumers across different countries without requiring traditional physical supply chains.
However, creators and businesses still face challenges involving access to capital, intellectual property protection, production infrastructure, international distribution and market information.
Government agencies, financial institutions and private-sector partners will therefore have an important role to play if the commercial opportunities associated with CANEX are to translate into sustainable businesses and employment.
For now, preparations are continuing across the participating government agencies and partner institutions ahead of the November event.
With thousands of participants expected in Lagos, CANEX WKND 2026 is set to bring together a broad cross-section of Africa’s creative and business communities.
The Federal Government’s stated objective is to use the platform to connect Nigerian talent with markets, investors and financing while strengthening the country’s position within Africa’s creative economy.
As Lagos prepares to host the event from November 5 to 8, attention will be focused on the business partnerships, investment opportunities, creative showcases and market-access discussions that emerge from the gathering.
The ultimate economic impact will depend on how successfully the connections established during CANEX translate into sustained commercial activity, new businesses, exports and employment opportunities for Nigerians.
