Inside a galvanizing gathering that challenged African creators to rethink purpose, growth and sustainability.
On the 29th of January, 2026, Federal Palace Hotel’s Balmoral Hall in Victoria Island, Lagos transformed into a creative nerve centre as African Creators Summit 3.0 (SWAG) unfolded.
By 9am, the doors opened to a carefully curated mix of creators, innovators and industry leaders. Guests arrived dressed in their finest, setting the tone for an event that felt intentional from the start. Despite the diversity of disciplines represented, everyone present shared a common goal: to understand the true purpose of the creative path they had chosen and how to navigate it sustainably.
“The Creator’s Journey”: Stories That Set the Tone
Before the main sessions began, attendees were ushered into the summit through an inspiring visual segment titled The Creator’s Journey. Clips from established creators including Brain Jotter, Emmanuella, Peter Akah, Taomaa and Kiekie played on the large screens.
They shared honest accounts of their come-up stories, lessons learned and the realities of building a creative career in Africa. The message was clear. Content creation is not a straight line, and understanding what lies ahead is just as important as starting the journey.
Culture, Rhythm and the Meaning of SWAG
The summit officially kicked off with a captivating cultural dance performance. Percussion-led rhythms filled the hall as dancers clad in traditional attire took the stage, instantly commanding attention.
As the performance concluded, a narrator introduced the theme for this edition of the summit. SWAG was explained as Sound, Work, Attire and Grub, four pillars designed to explore the creator experience from multiple angles and ground creativity in both culture and structure.
Purpose Before Popularity: A Charge to Creators
Following the cultural opener, Unique Obi took the stage with a powerful charge to creators. He spoke about the core purpose of creation, what truly defines a creator, and what the end goal should be.
According to him, the responsibility of creators goes beyond visibility. The true aim is to give life to creations in ways that resonate deeply, impact communities and meaningfully affect lives.
Music, Wit and Perspective: Craze Clown Takes the Stage
After a musical interlude by Raymu, which included a soulful rendition of the Nigerian National Anthem, the host for the day was introduced. Craze Clown, widely regarded as a continental creative force, stepped on stage to warm applause.
Blending humour with insight, he welcomed the audience with witty remarks and heartfelt compliments together with his cohost, Nons Miraj. Beneath the laughter was a sincere message about the essence of content creation and the discipline required to remain consistent in the journey.
The Vision Behind African Creators Summit
Craze Clown then introduced the convener of African Creators Summit, Oladapo Adewunmi, popularly known as Apollo. The founder of Apollo Creations delivered a warm welcome and outlined the mission and vision of ACS.
He reassured attendees that the summit was intentionally designed to be immersive, educational and transformative, promising a day filled with insight and meaningful conversations.
Keynote Reflections on Thriving as a Creator
Keynote speaker David Adeleke shared practical insights for navigating today’s evolving creative landscape. He emphasised adaptation, collaboration, continuous learning and selflessness as essential traits for creators aiming to build relevance and longevity in the industry.
(S) Sound: Creative Journeys with Bankuli and Skales
The first moderated session of the day explored the Sound pillar. Industry heavyweight Bankuli led the conversation alongside award-winning musician Skales.
Both speakers shared personal stories from their careers, touching on the realities of creation, growth and staying authentic in the African music space. It was a candid exchange that resonated deeply with creatives across different fields.
A Game Changing Collaboration
Right after the sound session, Apollo introduced The Super Creators Toolkit, an initiative powered by Google and UNESCO, designed to help creators navigate artificial intelligence responsibly while protecting their work and their communities.
(W) Work: Longevity and Discipline with Omotola Jalade Ekeinde
The conversation then shifted to the Work pillar as Apollo sat down with Nollywood legend Omotola Jalade Ekeinde. She spoke about the discipline required to sustain a creative career and what has kept her going long after passion alone was no longer enough.
Shortly after this session, the audience welcomed the Honourable Minister of Arts and Culture, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, further highlighting the summit’s growing institutional relevance.
(A) Attire: Fashion, Platforms and Creative Visibility
As the programme progressed, Craze Clown returned to the stage alongside co-host Nons Miraj to introduce the Attire segment. Mama Deola (Folagade Banks) and Latasha Lagos addressed the audience on the importance of digital platforms, particularly Facebook, in content establishment and distribution.
This session flowed into a fashion showcase featuring popular creators dressed in designs by indigenous fashion brands. Highlights included Broda Shaggi for Ayo and Styles, The Cute Abiola for Shud Apparels, Gilmore for Geometric Motion, Jenni Frank for Shakara Trybe, One Khan for Jason Porche and Queen Ana for Ade by Femi.
Government Commitment to the Creative Industry
As the summit began to wind down, the Minister of Arts and Culture addressed the audience directly. She spoke on the challenges creators currently face and outlined the ministry’s commitment to facilitating growth and funding within Nigeria’s creative industry, particularly from the grassroots level.
(G) Grub: The Creator Economy with Hilda Baci
The final session, moderated by Ify’s Kitchen, featured Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci. This segment focused on the creator economy and tackled pressing questions around growth, differentiation and stability.
Hilda shared practical, experience-driven insights that resonated across creative disciplines and offered clarity for creators at different stages of their journey.
A Galvanizing Close to a Defining Summit
The summit concluded with a performance by upcoming musical sensation OG Abbah, who energized the crowd with his digital hit Wayo Allah na.
If African Creators Summit 3.0 (SWAG) could be summed up in one word, it would be galvanizing. Feedback from attendees echoed a single truth: no one was leaving the same way they came.
It was a rare, impactful experience that will stand as a cultural reference point in Africa’s creative evolution.