The multi-venue event, held from November 18 to 23, recorded 28,683 attendees drawn from more than eight countries and over fifty industries, a strong debut for what organisers call a long-term platform for the continent’s creative economy.

Unlike older single-location festivals, EWA 2025 operated through five dedicated hubs spread across the city, Livespot Entertarium, Eko Hotel, EbonyLife Place, Alliance Française and Heritage Place, allowing participants to move between screenings, workshops, markets, showcases and industry meetings with unusual fluidity.

Livespot360 Managing Director, Tiwa Medubi, said the theme for the year bolstered the festival’s purpose. “This year, under the theme ‘Close the Gap,’ we set out to do something very specific: bring talent, capital, policy and platforms into the same room – not in theory, but in practice.” 

She added: “Across every lab, panel, showcase, screening and performance, one thing was clear: the gap between potential and reality is closing, because people are doing the work.”

Diplomats, government officials and cultural leaders were visible throughout the week. Among them were British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter, First Lady of Kwara State Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the Minister of Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole, and Lagos Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture Toke Benson-Awoyinka. 

Baxter noted the diplomatic relevance of the gathering, saying: “Entertainment Week Africa represents a week of celebration, partnership and progress… By Closing The Gap, we’re not just building bridges; we’re creating highways for ideas, talent and investments to flow freely between Nigeria and the UK.”

Over six days, EWA 2025 delivered 61 sessions across its major pillars, film, music, technology and culture. A total of 93 films were screened, including Chronicles of Afrobeat, The Herd, Dust to Dream, and Mama Nike & Magazine Dreams. Many screenings were paired with sought-after director sessions.

Beyond film, the festival staged 20 music showcases and 9 fashion runway presentations. More than 120 designers applied for a place on the EWA runway, with 10 emerging names, including Korede James, Dust of the Earth, Nex by Necca, Josh Amor and Sevon Dejana, selected to present collections exploring contemporary African aesthetics.

Music also brought about a candid gender-equity debate. Tiwa Savage noted the challenge facing female artists: “Out of the top 100 songs in Nigeria on Apple Music, there’s only one female song… The gap is too wide, we need to balance the scale.”

Don Jazzy added: “We’re too masculine… It affects the numbers, the airplay, the clubs”.

Deal Room, Hackathon and Story Lab Drive Innovation

The festival’s Deal Room drew 178 applications, with nine startups advancing into a four-day accelerator. Four, Aktivate, FriendnPal, Growwr and Sports Reels,  were assessed as ready to scale and attracted investor interest on the spot. Investors present included Future Africa, Askya Investment Partners, Catalyst Fund and Consonance Invest.

A parallel Hackathon selected ten teams for a rapid-build sprint. Three companies, including Musetter, Owambe and Alaba, stood out for developing prototype-ready solutions in music and fashion technology.

Another major highlight was the four-day Story Lab for emerging writers, facilitated by Lani Aisida, Nicole Asinugo and Dami Elebe, and supported by Netflix, Amazon Prime, NdaniTV and Africa Magic. Fifteen candidates were narrowed to eight and completed six pitch-ready concepts.

Cultural Moments and Public Engagement

The week also saw entertainment touchpoints, including “Jokes & Jollof,” where Big Spoon 2025 winner Lucky Chidiebere Obi secured a ₦1 million prize and a forthcoming tour with Basketmouth. In total, EWA generated more than 5 million online engagements and over 800 million digital impressions across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

The maiden edition was backed by sponsors and partners such as Livespot, Heineken, Lagos State Tourism, MTN, Pepsi, TikTok, the British High Commission, the High Commission of Canada, the US Embassy, Essenza and Multichoice. Venue and industry partners included Netflix, Amazon Prime, NdaniTV, Africa Magic, ONErpm, Empire, Virgin Music and Xchange.

Founder Deola Art Alade said the team intends to build on the momentum: “Our ambition over the coming years is for Entertainment Week Africa to establish itself as a critical part of the economic, intellectual and artistic capital of this great city. We’re delighted with the first steps towards that.”

Next Edition Confirmed

The festival will return from November 17 to 22, 2026, with an expanded continental programme under the theme “Closing the Gap.” Registration has already opened.

The post EWA 2025 Spurs Creative-Industry Growth as Lagos Event Secures New Startup Investment Deals appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The acquisition will facilitate UMG’s expansion into the thriving African music market, enabling both entities to scale beyond current reach.

The agreement between UMG and Mavin Records, currently pending regulatory approval, is expected to be finalized by the third quarter of 2024.

While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, industry analysts speculate that the transaction could be valued at a substantial figure, potentially surpassing previous estimates.

Mavin Records, established in 2012, has nurtured the talents of well-known artists such as Rema, Ayra Starr, Crayon, and Ladipoe, among others.

In relation to the investment, Don Jazzy, had an impressive view about the partnership with UMG, noting the similar goal of grooming and promoting African music on a global scale.

Lucian Grainge, the chairman and CEO of UMG, commended Mavin Records on how it is popularizing Afrobeats, a genre that has captivated audiences worldwide.

Grainge highlighted the synergies between UMG and Mavin Records, citing the mutual dedication to artistic excellence and innovation in the music industry.

The investment from UMG will boost Mavin’s expansion initiatives, with a particular emphasis on heightening the label’s Artist Academy and empowering the next generation of African music industry leaders.

The acquisition emphasizes UMG’s drive to deepen its presence in the Nigerian Afrobeats industry, which has witnessed commendable growth and international recognition in recent years.

Notable artists such as Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy have driven Afrobeats onto the global stage, making it easier for emerging talents like Rema, Starr, Tems, and Fireboy DML to carve out their own unique paths to success.

With the partnership between UMG and Mavin Records, both entities will spearhead Africa’s musical continuous thriving, motivating audiences and artists alike to keep pushing for creativity and innovation.

The post How Universal Music Group’s Investment in Mavin Records will Bolster African Music Industry appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The company, which is co-founded by Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana organized a relaunch ceremony with many celebrities in attendance. At the event, Nigerian music artist and producer, Don Jazzy, was unveiled as the brand ambassador.

According to Obi Cubana, New Age Mobile Concepts Ltd is the maker of New Age Power Bank, phone chargers, and other phone accessories.

Currently, New Age Concepts Ltd is among the top leading mobile accessories merchandising companies in Nigeria, offering high-quality mobile accessories.

He said the decision to relaunch the brand was due to the fact that it satisfies the growing needs of Nigerian consumers with quality products and accessories.

The businessman and entertainment guru said his company chose Don Jazzy as its brand ambassador because of what he represents in the music industry, his great followers, and his fame.

Speaking during the unveiling, Cubana said his business partnership with New Age Mobile is born out of his genuine and legitimate business around the world.

‘’If you ever contemplate buying a power bank that is strong, well-matched with most mobile devices, and possesses an inbuilt microcomputer automatic protection chip against overcharge or over voltage, then you can’t go wrong with New Age Power Bank.

‘’As you have rightly known, smartphones consume lots of battery power because they have lots of applications as well as inbuilt processors for fast operations. 

In order to ensure top-notch quality, New Age battery-powered devices are manufactured to be versatile, so it can work with any model and brand of phone and smart device,” Cubana said.

With a sales operation of over 15 years in Nigeria, the company has strong distribution nationwide. The success story hinges on our continued drive for optimal improvement across all products and customer service.

The New Age Power Bank comes in different sizes, which include, New Age Pack 22500mah, 18500mah, 15600mah, 15000mah, 12500mAh, and many others.

Kingsley Opara, CEO, New Age Concepts Ltd, said “If you ever contemplate buying a power bank that is strong, well-matched with most mobile devices, and possesses an inbuilt microcomputer automatic protection chip against overcharge or over voltage, then you can’t go wrong with New Age Power Bank.

“As you know, smartphones consume lots of battery power because they have lots of applications as well as inbuilt processors for fast operations.

“This high power depletion drains the battery very fast and hence the need for a reliable power bank to boost the battery in order to enjoy the different features available – with little or no interruption.”

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