Abuja is set to host the inaugural Afrocentric Cultural Expo from 7 to 18 November, with organisers projecting the event as a platform for cultural exchange, trade and investment.
The 10-day expo is expected to bring together participants from Africa and the diaspora for activities spanning music, fashion, food, film, heritage, intellectual discourse, sports and business.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce-USA (NICOCUSA), Mr Gregory Ihenacho, said the expo was conceived to promote African culture, strengthen economic ties and encourage greater engagement among Africans and people of African descent.
Ihenacho said Abuja was chosen to host the inaugural edition because of Nigeria’s cultural diversity and its position as Africa’s most populous country.
He said the expo would feature participants from countries and regions including Brazil, the Caribbean, the United States, South America, Europe and Asia.
According to him, the programme will include cultural exhibitions, Afrocentric music and fashion, heritage awards, a pageant, food exhibitions, football, a film festival, intellectual discussions and a global business and investment forum.
Ihenacho said organisers expected the event to generate significant economic activity, projecting a direct economic impact of about $300 million.
He added that more than 1,000 exhibition booths had already been sold to food vendors and small, medium and large-scale businesses.
The NICOCUSA chief executive said the expo was intended to provide a platform for Africans to promote their cultural heritage and participate more actively in global trade and investment.
He said Africa should take greater ownership of its cultural narrative and derive more economic value from its resources, creativity, talent and heritage.
The Nigerian Chamber of Commerce-USA was established in 2002 to promote business relations between Nigeria and the United States, advocate favourable trade policies and promote the Nigerian brand.
The organisers said they planned to take the Afrocentric Cultural Expo to other African countries and beyond following the inaugural edition in Nigeria.
The 2026 expo is being organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy.
