A California-Lagos Business and Investment Summit is set to explore opportunities for stronger economic and cultural partnerships between Africa and the United States.
The two-day summit, scheduled for September 17 and 18, 2026, in Sacramento and San Francisco, will bring together government officials, investors, business leaders, entrepreneurs and stakeholders in the creative sector.
The summit, themed “Building the California-Nigeria Business Bridge,” will focus on trade, investment and cross-border business opportunities between California and Nigeria.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, California Governor Gavin Newsom, President and Founder of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), Mike Dada, and Afretrade Chief Executive Officer, Lekan Salaam, are expected to headline the event.
As part of the programme, Mr Dada will present a paper titled “From Culture to Capital: Unlocking the California-Lagos Creative Economy.”
The presentation will examine investment opportunities in music, film, entertainment and intellectual property, as well as the role of Africa’s creative industries in driving economic growth.
Dada is expected to highlight the need for stronger investment, intellectual property and commercial frameworks to support Africa’s creative assets and connect them to international markets.
He said AFRIMA had spent the last 15 years promoting Africa’s music industry and linking creative talents and businesses to global markets.
According to him, the organisation’s objectives align with the summit’s focus on promoting African enterprises, talents and intellectual property internationally.
The summit will also provide a platform for chief executives, entrepreneurs, investors, funding partners, Nigerian professionals and business owners in the United States, members of the African diaspora and other stakeholders to explore business opportunities.
Advancing the music business remains one of AFRIMA’s major objectives, with its Music Business Summit serving as part of its efforts to strengthen Africa’s creative industry.
The California-Lagos summit seeks to connect California’s technology, investment and entertainment sectors with Lagos’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem, with opportunities spanning music, film, technology and culture.
