KIGALI, Rwanda, 2nd September 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- The Africa Creative Economy Lens (ACEL) 2025 concluded in Kigali after two transformative days, amplifying the message that Africa’s cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are not only a source of identity but a powerful engine for sustainable growth.
Co-hosted by the Africa Creatives Alliance (ACA) and Africa in Colors (AIC), the convening brought together more than 200 participants from across the continent, including policymakers, investors, DFIs, creatives, and development partners. Under the theme “Investing in Africa’s Creative Potential for Sustainable Growth,” ACEL 2025 demonstrated how creativity when matched with the right systems, financing, and policies can become a cornerstone of Africa’s economic future.
H.E. Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Robert Rusoke, Uganda’s High Commissioner, emphasized that Africa’s creative economy is not merely about entertainment but about identity, innovation, commerce, and socio-economic transformation. He noted that by 2030, Africa could command up to 10% of global creative exports, worth over $200 billion “not a distant dream, but a realistic trajectory if we invest strategically today.”
The stakes are clear: by 2050, one in four people will be African, while Sub-Saharan Africa will need 72.6 million new jobs (ILO). With industries spanning film, music, fashion, gaming, design, and digital media, the creative economy offers one of the most viable and sustainable pathways to meet this demand. Yet barriers such as limited access to finance, weak policy frameworks, and fragmented data systems continue to constrain growth.
ACEL 2025 addressed these challenges head-on through co-creation workshops, fireside discussions, and high-level dialogues. Conversations ranged from the intersection of technology and the arts to financial innovations tailored for creative enterprises. Development banks, venture funds, and corporate investors presented financing models and case studies, while policymakers, experts and creatives co-designed solutions around governance, copyright delivery frameworks, and Pan-African Trade and CCIs, focusing on the integration of CCIs into the AfCFTA.
Rita Ngenzi, Founding and Managing Director of ACA, stressed that the creative economy must move from the margins to the center of Africa’s development agenda:
“The Africa Creative Economy Lens has shown us that investing in creativity is not a luxury it is a necessity for Africa’s sustainable growth, employment, and resilience. Every job created in film, fashion, music, art, gaming, or design sparks a ripple effect across industries, communities, and borders. The task now is to translate this vision into tangible pathways that unlock opportunities at scale.”
She added: “Last year in Addis Ababa, we declared that Africa’s creative future would not be written for us, but by us. Here in Kigali, that vision is moving from declaration to action Creativity alone cannot scale without infrastructure, capacity, and investment. The outcomes of the gathering have shown us what becomes possible when creativity is connected to the systems that sustain it: it transforms into industries, jobs, and inclusive growth.”
Delivering remarks on behalf of Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and Arts, Olivier Ngabo, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, reaffirmed Africa’s ownership of its creative future:
“Rwanda is committed to becoming a place where ideas, talent, and innovation converge to create opportunities beyond our borders. This ambition is anchored in our National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), which identifies the creative industries as key drivers of growth, innovation, and youth employment. By prioritizing creativity at the national level, we are signaling to investors, entrepreneurs, and artists alike that Rwanda is a place to do more and to do better.”
He emphasized that progress must be collective and intentional:
“No government, private sector, or creative can succeed in isolation. Together, we must create dignified jobs for Africa’s youth, expand trade, and open global stages for our designers, filmmakers, musicians, and innovators. If we get this right, the creative industries will not only transform our economies but also strengthen Africa’s cultural influence and shape how the world sees us.”
Raoul Rugamba, Founder of Africa in Colors, echoed this call:
“Africa’s creative potential represents a trillion-dollar opportunity. Kigali proved that when artists, investors, hubs, and policymakers come together, creativity moves from untapped potential to a bankable driver of prosperity.”
Adding an ecosystem perspective, Japheth Kawanguzi, ACA Board Member and Founder of MoTIV, noted:
“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. That is why we formed the Africa Creatives Alliance—to connect ecosystems across borders, align with continental policy, and create the scale Africa needs. A single district can transform a city, but only an alliance of ecosystems can transform a continent.”
Panels explored investment unlocking strategies, alternative financing for SMEs, and innovative debt solutions, with insights from the African Development Bank, IFC, Afreximbank, Heva Fund, and others. Fireside chats showcased creative entrepreneurs and enablers that have scaled successfully with the right financing and ecosystem support.
As the world looks to Africa as the next global growth frontier, Kigali affirmed a powerful truth: sustainable development will be defined by industries that harness imagination, innovation, and identity. By investing in Africa’s creative potential, the continent is not only shaping its future—it is redefining its place in the global economy.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Africa Creatives Alliance.
Editor Notes
About Africa Creatives Alliance
The Africa Creatives Alliance (ACA) envisions strengthening Africa’s role as a global contributor to the creative economy by building a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable ecosystem that empowers creatives, drives innovation, and fosters cultural and economic growth across the continent. Our mission is to unite and fortify Africa’s creative economy through strategic partnerships, advocacy, and capacity building, creating a dynamic network of hubs, incubators, and stakeholders that supports sustainable growth, enhances market access, and highlights the cultural and economic value of creativity.
ACA’s approach is grounded in five key pillars: Ecosystem Convening, which brings together creative hubs, incubators, accelerators, and makerspaces, along with government, NGOs, academia, and private sector players, to foster collaboration and drive system-level change; Policy & Advocacy, focused on creating an enabling environment through research-driven policy recommendations that promote intellectual property protections, inclusivity, and equitable access to resources; Education and Capacity Building, leading comprehensive training programs to equip hubs, incubators, accelerators, and makerspaces with the skills and innovative business models needed to support creatives and prepare them for success in global markets; Infrastructure and Enterprise Strengthening, prioritizing investments in physical infrastructure, reducing production costs, and improving market access to enhance productivity across value chains; and Investment, focused on mobilizing capital through tailored investment vehicles, including grants, equity, and impact investment funds, to meet the lifecycle needs of creative enterprises, foster growth, and drive sustainable economic impact.
For media inquiries
Rita Ngenzi – Founding Director, Africa Creatives Alliance
rngenzi@aca.africa | +256 772 912799
Amanda Gowa – Chief of Staff, Africa Creatives Alliance
agowa@aca.africa I +256 701 050 600
Source : African Media Agency (AMA)
