From 16 to 18 October 2025, Lagos, Nigeria, will host the second edition of the Création Africa Forum, an event dedicated to advancing Africa’s cultural and creative industries. Organized by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Maison des Mondes Africains (MansA), the Institut Français, and supported by the Team France Fund for Creation (FEF-Création), the Forum aims to strengthen the renewed Africa–France partnership. The event follows the success of its first edition in Paris in 2023 and highlights the growing recognition of Africa’s creative industries as a vital force for economic development, cultural dialogue, and social transformation.
This year’s edition represents a key step in deepening cooperation between Africa and France. Following the Paris launch and ahead of the upcoming “Africa Forward” Africa–France Summit scheduled for Nairobi in 2026, Lagos has emerged as a global meeting point for creative exchange. The event forms part of broader initiatives supporting cultural collaboration, including the 2025 opening of MansA in Paris — a space dedicated to showcasing African creativity and strengthening ties between the continents.
Over three days, the Forum will bring together more than 1,000 participants, including artists, entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and public and private stakeholders. The program features discussions, masterclasses, business meetings, and performances designed to promote innovation, collaboration, and investment in Africa’s creative ecosystem. Topics to be explored include the financing and organization of cultural and creative industries, the use of immersive technologies such as extended reality and animation, sustainable design and fashion, music and audiovisual innovation, and the pivotal role of women and diasporas in reshaping Africa’s cultural landscape.
Through MansA, France supports the circulation of ideas, diversity of narratives, and the empowerment of African creatives who are redefining contemporary art and culture. Since its opening, MansA has served as a cultural bridge between Europe and Africa, fostering pluralistic expression and creative partnerships. The Création Africa Forum builds on this foundation, emphasizing collaboration, youth engagement, and mutual cultural exchange as the cornerstones of a balanced partnership.
The Forum also underscores France’s commitment to supporting Africa’s creative potential through concrete action. By encouraging education, talent development, and international visibility, it reinforces cultural diplomacy rooted in co-creation and respect. The Team France Fund for Creation, launched in 2023, is already financing collaborative projects in over 15 African countries, and new agreements are expected to be signed during the event. Together, these efforts make the Création Africa Forum a driving force for economic cooperation, artistic innovation, and sustainable cultural development across Africa.
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