The Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, is expected to brief journalists in Abuja on Friday on the programmes and opportunities associated with the 2026 Afrocentric Cultural Expo.
The briefing is being organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce-USA (NICOCUSA), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy and the Afrocentric Cultural Expo Organising Committee.
The Head of Media and Communications, NICOCUSA, Mr Samuel Odi, said the press conference would formally unveil the vision, objectives, programmes and key activities of the Expo ahead of its scheduled opening in November.
Odi said the event would also highlight the Expo’s focus on promoting African culture, creativity, entrepreneurship, tourism, investment and international economic opportunities.
The briefing is expected to take place at City Gate, Abuja, on Friday.
Meanwhile, the United States-based Nigerian Chamber of Commerce-USA has intensified preparations for the 12-day cultural event, scheduled to hold from 7 to 18 November 2026 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Complex, Abuja.
The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NICOCUSA, Mr Gregory Ihenacho, told journalists in Abuja that more than 1,000 exhibition booths had already been sold to food vendors as well as medium- and large-scale companies.
Ihenacho said the Expo was originally conceived for Lake Skinner Park in Los Angeles, United States, but was later revived and proposed to the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, who agreed to partner with the Chamber on the project.
He said the Abuja edition would feature 12 major events and transform the stadium complex into what he described as a 24-hour city throughout the festival.
According to him, the programmes will include an Afrocentric Music Festival, Fashion Week, Custodian of African Heritage Awards, African Women Are Gorgeous, University Intellectual Debate, Food Expo, Health Fair, Dance Your Culture, Cultural Festival, Football Tournament, Film Festival, and the Global African Business and Investment Forum.
Ihenacho said the Expo was designed to promote African culture and provide a platform for creatives, entrepreneurs and businesses to connect with international audiences and markets.
He also called for greater African ownership of the continent’s cultural narratives, saying cultural exchange could help promote a better understanding of Africa’s heritage and contemporary achievements.
On the choice of Abuja as the host city, Ihenacho cited the Federal Capital’s road network, hospitality industry, tourism attractions and concentration of diplomatic missions as some of the factors that influenced the decision.
He said the Expo would provide opportunities for cultural exchange, trade, investment and economic development while promoting Africa’s creative industries, particularly music and fashion.
NICOCUSA, established in 2002, connects business communities in the United States and Nigeria and seeks to promote economic and commercial relations between both countries.
