African creative professionals are set to receive a significant boost in global positioning as Gazmadu Education prepares to host the third edition of its flagship Art, Business & Creativity (ABC) Conference this November. The pan-African gathering aims to transform how African creatives compete and thrive on the world stage.
Connecting African Talent to Global Opportunities
Scheduled to run from November 24 to 27, 2025, the conference will take place across two strategic Lagos venues: Balmoral Hall in Ikeja and DAP Event Centre in Lekki Phase 1. With more than 3,000 participants expected from across the continent and diaspora, this year's edition carries the powerful theme "Beyond Borders: Connecting African Creativity to the Global Stage."
The conference has established itself as one of Africa's most influential knowledge-exchange platforms within the creative economy. This year's event is powered by Gazmadu Education in partnership with Fujifilm as Headline Partner, alongside Gazmadu Studios, Camera Joint, Zen Studios, DAP Event Centre, and numerous industry collaborators.
Strategic Framework for Creative Success
At its core, the ABC Conference addresses critical capability gaps that have historically limited African creatives' global competitiveness. The program is built around five strategic pillars that provide a comprehensive framework for success:
World-class creative and business education forms the foundation, while global positioning frameworks help creatives navigate international markets. The conference also emphasizes cross-border collaboration opportunities and provides business intelligence for scalable creative enterprises. Finally, it focuses on developing cultural influence that empowers African creatives to shape global narratives.
The four-day program offers an immersive learning and networking experience designed for maximum impact. Proceedings begin on November 24 with a welcome cocktail, followed by the main conference on November 25. The final two days, November 26 and 27, will feature intensive masterclasses led by top African industry leaders.
Distinguished Speakers and Practical Outcomes
This year's speaker lineup features more than 20 high-impact voices from across the creative spectrum. Notable participants include award-winning multidisciplinary visual artist Isaac Emokpae, Canon Ambassador and Zen Studios founder Emmanuel Oyeleke, and former World Bank Group Vice-President photographer Tolani Alli.
Other distinguished speakers include Malik Afegbua (Founder and CEO of Slickcity Media), Henri Ojimadu (Founder and CEO of BigH Studios), Rachael Onoja (Head of Innovation & New Markets at AltSchool Africa), and Babatunde Akin-Moses (CEO & Co-Founder of Sycamore).
Participants can expect to gain practical business systems for profitability, creative mastery skills, actionable growth templates, exposure to future-forward industry trends, and high-value networking opportunities with thousands of creatives, brands, mentors, and collaborators.
Conference convener YagazieEguare, who also serves as Founder and CEO of Gazmadu Ltd., emphasized the urgent need for this gathering. "African creatives have always been global, but now we must become globally positioned," she stated. "ABC Conference exists to equip creatives with the clarity, structure, business intelligence, and community needed to thrive beyond borders."
The 2025 edition arrives at a critical moment for Africa's creative sector, as rapid shifts driven by AI, globalization, and digital transformation continue to disrupt traditional models. The conference directly addresses core challenges facing creatives, including limited business training, poor access to funding, global competition, burnout-induced attrition, and uncertainty around AI adoption.
Both in-person and virtual attendance options ensure that creatives across different regions and time zones can access this transformative experience, making it truly pan-African in scope and impact.
