Lagos, Nigeria – 14 July 2025
BHM and ID Africa, organisers of NECLive, West Africa’s largest annual gathering of creative industry professionals, have announced the return of the flagship conference for 28-30 November 2025. The newly introduced multi-venue global format of the 13 year-old conference will convene under the theme ‘Powering Africa Through Creative Enterprise’ at the prestigious Landmark Centre in Lagos.
Since its inception in 2013, NECLive has served as the premier platform for discussions, networking, innovation showcase and policy advocacy within Nigeria’s entertainment and creative industries. Over 9 editions, the conference has hosted more than 500 industry experts as speakers and panellists, attracted over 100,000 participants, and reached an audience exceeding 100 million people across 50+ countries. The conference has facilitated over 1,000 deals and partnerships whilst maintaining its core mission of building sustainable pathways for the entertainment industry to thrive.
African Creative Industries: Growth Amidst Challenges
Nigeria’s creative economy has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, with Nollywood becoming the world’s second-largest film industry by volume and Afrobeats achieving global mainstream success. Recent wins include Nigerian artistes selling out major international arenas, Grammy recognition for Afrobeats stars, and the viral reach of African content creators across digital platforms. The sector now contributes approximately 2.3% to Nigeria’s GDP, worth over $4.2 billion annually.
However, significant challenges persist. Infrastructure deficits, limited access to funding, inadequate intellectual property protection, and weak distribution networks continue to constrain growth potential and industry sustainability. The creative sector faces increasing competition from international markets whilst struggling with brain drain as talent migrates to markets with better opportunities and support systems.
Despite these challenges, the opportunities for global impact remain immense. Africa’s creative industries have the potential to capture a significantly larger share of the global creative economy, currently worth $2.25 trillion. With strategic investment in infrastructure, technology adoption, and policy reforms, Nigerian creatives could leverage the continent’s rich cultural heritage and growing youth population to build sustainable enterprises that power broader economic development.
Global Platform for African Creativity
The 2025 edition of NECLive will feature a distinguished lineup of speakers and performers from across Africa and the global diaspora, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, investors, corporate brands and emerging talent. The conference aims to showcase successful models of creative enterprise whilst providing practical solutions for scaling African creative businesses globally.
“After more than a decade of facilitating crucial conversations within Nigeria’s entertainment industry, we’re witnessing an unprecedented moment where our creative talents are gaining global recognition and commercial success,” said Ayeni Adekunle, Founder and Convener of NECLive. “However, we must now focus on building the infrastructure, appropriate policies, and business frameworks that will ensure this momentum translates into sustainable economic power for our nation. This year’s NECLive theme reflects our commitment to demonstrating how creative enterprise can be a genuine driver of Nigeria and Africa’s economic transformation.”
Call for Participation
NECLive 2025 invites prospective sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, partners, and volunteers to join this important conversation about Nigeria’s creative future. The conference offers unique opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and business development within Africa’s most dynamic creative ecosystem.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit www.nec.ng to indicate their interest, explore partnership opportunities, or learn more about participation in NECLive.
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