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Unlocking Africa’s Creative Potential for Economic Transformation
The Africa Creative Economy Lens (ACEL) 2025 concluded in Kigali after two dynamic days of dialogue, innovation, and collaboration. A meeting of minds, it reaffirmed that Africa’s cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are more than entertainment. More than just exciting mental wellness, they are catalysts for identity, innovation, commerce, and sustainable growth.
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Co-hosted by the Africa Creatives Alliance (ACA) and Africa in Colors (AIC), the gathering brought together 200+ participants, including policymakers, investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), creatives, and ecosystem enablers. With the theme “Investing in Africa’s Creative Potential for Sustainable Growth,” the forum emphasized how the creative economy, when supported by robust financing and policies, can anchor Africa’s economic future.
Africa’s Creative Economy: From Potential to Global Player
H.E. Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Robert Rusoke, Uganda’s High Commissioner, stressed that the creative economy could represent 10% of global creative exports by 2030, valued at over $200 billion. He noted:
“Africa’s creative economy is not a distant dream but a realistic trajectory—if we invest strategically today.”
The stakes are high: by 2050, one in four people will be African, and Sub-Saharan Africa will need over 72.6 million new jobs (ILO). With industries spanning film, music, fashion, gaming, design, and digital media, CCIs provide a scalable solution for employment and inclusive growth.
Breaking Barriers: Financing, Policy, and Trade
ACEL 2025 tackled pressing barriers such as limited access to finance, weak policy frameworks, and fragmented data systems. Through co-creation workshops, fireside chats, and high-level dialogues, participants explored:
- Innovative financing models from the AfDB, IFC, Afreximbank, and Heva Fund.
- Pan-African trade opportunities, including the integration of CCIs into AfCFTA.
- Policy frameworks for governance, copyright protection, and creative rights.
- The intersection of technology and the arts to scale African creativity globally.
Rwanda’s Commitment to Creative Industries
Rwanda reaffirmed its position as a hub for creativity and innovation. Government representatives highlighted that the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) prioritizes the creative industries as drivers of growth, innovation, and youth employment.
“Rwanda is committed to being a place where ideas, talent, and innovation converge to create opportunities beyond our borders,” the statement noted.
Building a Pan-African Creative Ecosystem
Japheth Kawanguzi, ACA Board Member and Founder of MoTIV, underscored the importance of ecosystem building:
“Africa’s creative economy will not grow by chance, but through intentional ecosystem design. Just as industrial parks anchor manufacturing, innovation districts must anchor Africa’s creative and digital industries.”
The ACA was formed to connect ecosystems across borders, align with continental policies, and scale Africa’s creative industries into globally competitive sectors.
Creativity as Africa’s Trillion-Dollar Opportunity
The gathering concluded with a clear message: Africa’s creative economy is a trillion-dollar opportunity. Every job in the creative sector generates ripple effects across communities and industries, making creativity a strategic necessity for sustainable development.
As Kigali showcased, when artists, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders collaborate, creativity transforms from untapped potential into a bankable driver of prosperity and global influence.
