Africa is not just participating in global entertainment; it is actively shaping it, celebrating the richness of Black excellence. This week, the continent delivered in full colour. From Lagos to London, from arena stages to fashion runways, from UNICEF partnerships to New Music Friday releases, Africa’s creative engine has been running at full throttle. With Entertainment Week Africa (EWA), Film Africa 2025, Lagos Fashion Week, major music drops, and headline moments from stars like Davido, Wizkid, Tems, and Kuami Eugene, it is unmistakably clear: African entertainment is at the centre of the global cultural conversation.
Lagos is currently hosting Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) 2025, running from November 18–23, and the city feels like it’s vibrating at a higher frequency. Conceived by Darey and Deola Art Alade and produced by Livespot360, EWA is more than a conference; it’s a structural intervention in Africa’s creative economy. The theme, “Close the Gap,” captures the mission: to connect Africa’s talent with global capital, technology, and distribution.
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So far, EWA has delivered several defining moments that highlight its growing influence on Africa’s creative economy. From the powerful “Gender & Power in African Music” panel featuring Waje, Tiwa Savage, Teni, Yemi Alade, Qing Madi, and other female trailblazers tackling bias and gatekeeping to the launch of the EWA SoundLab and Music Market, which gives creators a structured pathway to pitch and collaborate globally, the event is reshaping industry infrastructure. The EWA Deal Room has become a hub of real negotiations, connecting creatives with investors, distributors, and tech leaders, ensuring that deals are actually signed rather than merely discussed. With influential figures like Chris Ihidero, Waje, and Frank Edoho in attendance, it showed just how significant EWA is to the future of African entertainment.
EWA’s real impact lies in its ability to institutionalise Africa’s creative economy, something the global industry has often benefited from without structurally supporting. The event shows that Africa is not only producing stars but is now building the frameworks that sustain star-making.
Ghanaian artist Moliy has officially been crowned Billboard Africa’s Hitmaker of the Year 2025, cementing her as one of the continent’s most exciting contemporary voices. Her sound, an evolutionary blend of Afrobeats, alt-pop, R&B, and Ghanaian influences, has grown into a global force.
With international performances, chart-topping collaborations, and a firm sense of sonic identity, Moliy’s recognition signals a shift: African women in music are not just rising; they are defining the soundscape.
Film Africa 2025, running from November 14 to 23 in London, stands as the UK’s largest showcase of African and diaspora storytelling, now in its 12th edition under the Royal African Society. This year’s festival brings together over 50 films from more than 20 countries, spanning drama, documentary, history, futurism, and authentic African lived experiences. A major spotlight is placed on the Democratic Republic of Congo through the “DRC NOW: Rising Voices” programme and an accompanying exhibition dedicated to Congolese identity, culture, and history. Key premieres include My Father’s Shadow (Nigeria/UK), the UK’s Oscar submission, and the closing feature Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions, by renowned filmmaker Dani Kouyaté.
Beyond screenings, Film Africa 2025 elevates industry dialogue and talent development through high-level engagements. These include a BAFTA-hosted masterclass with Kunle Afolayan, one of Africa’s most influential filmmakers, and a symposium at the London School of Economics examining African Cinema and Liberation. Together, these events reinforce Film Africa’s role as a vital bridge between African creators and the global film ecosystem—affirming that African cinema is not only culturally powerful but increasingly a force of commercial and international relevance.
Lagos Fashion Week closed with more than breathtaking collections; it sparked a powerful conversation about authentic representation in global fashion. Designers such as Hertunba, Sevon Dejana, and Onalaja delivered bold silhouettes and vibrant palettes, but the most defining moment came from their deliberate casting choices: 25 models representing 25 distinct expressions of Black womanhood, showcasing skin tones, features, hair textures, and body types rarely seen together on Western runways. The event also confronted the industry’s long-standing discomfort with Black hair, fully embracing its texture, versatility, and cultural meaning. While Ciara’s runway moment drew international attention, the deeper success was Lagos demonstrating what true, non-performative inclusion looks like. In doing so, Lagos Fashion Week offered a blueprint for fashion rooted not in tokenism but in intentional, culturally grounded representation.
On November 20, Davido celebrated his 33rd birthday in true superstar fashion, with a sold-out show at State Farm Arena, Atlanta, as part of his 5ive Alive Tour. Performing hits from “Fall” to “Aye,” he reflected on his 16-year journey in music, calling 2025 one of his best years yet: marriage, newborns, a charting album, and a new studio project in the works.
His intimate celebration featured his billionaire father, Adedeji Adeleke, his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, and key members of his 30BG circle. With Afrobeats now an entrenched global genre, Davido’s trajectory mirrors the ascent of the entire African music industry.
Ghanaian artist Kuami Eugene has partnered with UNICEF Ghana to release “Let Them Shine,” a compelling anthem promoting children’s rights. Launched during the anniversary of Ghana’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the song advocates for education, healthcare, nutrition, and protection while using music to amplify young voices and serve as a long-term national advocacy tool.
UNICEF praised the collaboration for its strategic role in youth empowerment, while Kuami Eugene highlighted his commitment to using music as a platform for social change.
Tems, Odeal, Wizkid, and New Music Friday: Africa’s Weekly Soundtrack
This week’s music highlights include two major releases: Tems’ Love Is a Kingdom, a deeply personal and atmospheric EP from one of Africa’s leading voices, and Odeal’s The Fall That Saved Us, a genre-blending project that explores introspection, growth, and resilience together, shaping a standout moment in Africa’s weekly soundscape.
Wizkid’s Unstoppable Feature Run
DJ Tunez reunited Wizkid and Odumodublvck on Easy With Me a moment fans have been anticipating since their earlier link-up on Big Time. Wizkid’s ongoing feature streak includes collaborations with Olamide, Ayra Starr, Tyla, Asake, Sarz, and more, underscoring his adaptability and global demand.
Full New Music Friday Lineup
From Victony, King Promise & Davido, 2Baba, Balloranking, Tekno, Smada, County, Savage, and many others, the release slate reflects a continent that drops as frequently and competitively as global markets.
In 2025, Africa’s entertainment industry is rapidly evolving, matching global powerhouses in output and innovation. Artists release music, EPs, and collaborations at a pace comparable to the U.S. and South Korea, while fashion and film increasingly leverage authentic cultural representation as a commercial asset. Institutional growth is evident through platforms like Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) and Film Africa, which address financing, distribution, and policy alongside creativity. African stars now headline global festivals, sell out arenas, and accumulate billions of streams, signalling growing international influence. At the same time, entertainers like Kuami Eugene are integrating social impact into their work, using advocacy partnerships to amplify African narratives on a continental and global scale.
From Lagos runways to London screenings, from arena concerts to global NGO partnerships, from EP drops to industry summits, Africa’s entertainment ecosystem is firing on all fronts. The world is no longer waiting for the “African wave”; the wave is here, continuous, and globally influential.
