Nigerian Afrofusion star BNXN has made history by becoming the first Africa-based Afrobeats artist to speak on the Forum Stage at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The landmark appearance came during a panel titled Culture to Capital: African Creators Changing the Global Landscape, where BNXN joined entrepreneur Chika Uwazie and TwoTone Global co-founder Carlo Murison to discuss the growing influence of African creatives around the world.
The conversation focused on how African artists, entrepreneurs and digital creators are turning culture into thriving businesses while expanding the continent’s creative economy on a global scale.During the session, BNXN stressed the need for better government policies, stronger industry regulations and increased investment in creative infrastructure.
He noted that these changes would help African artists build sustainable international careers while maintaining ownership of their work.Carlo Murison highlighted the importance of data, audience insights and creative analytics, explaining that access to reliable market information would allow African creators and businesses to compete more effectively on the global stage.
Chika Uwazie spoke about the rapid growth of Africa’s creator economy, saying that entrepreneurs, storytellers and digital creators are building global communities, controlling their own narratives and reshaping cultural influence in the digital age.The panel showcased how Africa’s creative industry has evolved beyond entertainment into a major driver of innovation, investment and economic growth.
Speaking after the event, Black At founder Peter Ukhurebor described the moment as a significant step for African creatives, saying it demonstrated that Africa is no longer just contributing stories to the world but is also helping shape the future of the global creative industry.Black At, a global leadership platform, continues to create opportunities for African and Black professionals, creators and entrepreneurs to participate in major international events and strengthen representation in global creative and business spaces.
