Nairobi was alive with energy and global influence as over 30 Heads of State gathered for the Africa Forward Summit held from May 11th–12th co-hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron. The landmark summit brought together leaders from across the continent for impactful conversations around economic integration, artificial intelligence, energy transition and global financial reform, while placing Africa’s booming Creative Economy firmly in the spotlight as a major driver of the continent’s future growth and global influence.
One of the memorable moments of the summit was “Le Concert” organized and produced by Trace Media. The event was a dazzling closing celebration of African unity, musical excellence and the continent’s thriving creative industry. The evening opened with a spectacular fashion showcase spotlighting designers from Kenya, Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire and Senegal reaffirming Africa’s position as a global cultural and economic force where heritage, craftsmanship and storytelling seamlessly meet international markets.
President William Ruto and Emmanuel Macron championed the creative economy as powerful engine for youthful empowerment, job creation and strategic cultural diplomacy between Africa and France. President Ruto emphasized that the creative sector is one of the biggest engines for job creation and empowerment for the continent’s youth. He applauded the concert as a magnificent celebration of African fashion, dance, and music that proves the immense promise of African talent.
President Macron also highlighted the power of African art, fashion and culture as influential drivers of global transformation, economic growth and identity, positioning the creative industries as a key pillar in strengthening partnerships between Africa and Europe.
The star-studded concert featured electrifying performances from some of Africa’s biggest names including Bien (Kenya), Youssou N’Dour (Senegal), Yemi Alade (Nigeria), Jose Chameleone (Uganda) and Abigail Chams (Tanzania), among many other celebrated African stars.
Myriam Sidibé, globally recognized as a leading voice on brands driving systems change and founder of “Brands On A Mission” believes Africa’s creative economy is entering a defining era. Through her work, she has championed the power of brands to move beyond creativity alone and become catalysts for impact, innovation and sustainable growth. Through her “Brands On A Mission” platform Myriam relaunched “Creations For Purpose” to bring solutions to the African creative economy and both platforms were instrumental in curating the Pan African fashion show at the Africa Forward Summit “Le-Concert” and Fashion Pop Up Experience for the African brands.
Speaking on the future of African fashion, Myriam shared that the global market is increasingly looking towards Africa for authentic storytelling, craftsmanship and design innovation. She highlighted the importance of African designers taking advantage of international trade agreements and manufacturing opportunities to strengthen the continent’s position within the global fashion industry.
“We need to appreciate and add value to our local fabrics so that international brands can look to Africa for inspiration, textile innovation and meaningful collaborations,” she explained. Myriam also emphasized the need for African creatives to build stronger partnerships, networks and cooperatives that can help scale opportunities and open doors for the continent’s fashion talent on the global stage.
Myriam shares that beyond the runway and fashion pop-up experience at the Africa Forward Summit, “Creations For Purpose” is intentionally building pathways for African creatives to thrive sustainably within the global creative economy in partnership with Equity Bank that has a footprint in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to be able to empower creatives to be recognized not just as artists, but as entrepreneurs capable of building sustainable careers and industries.
Speaking during Le Concert, Equity Group CEO and Managing Director Dr James Mwangi echoed this vision, highlighting how the bank is restructuring the way it works with creatives by developing tailored financial solutions that support long-term growth. He emphasized the importance of recognizing talent, intellectual property (IP) and digital footprints as valuable assets, enabling creatives to transform their artistic output into sustainable businesses while ensuring local talent gains global visibility and fair economic value.
Speaking on investments, manufacturing and policy reforms within Africa’s creative economy, Myriam emphasizes the urgent need for stronger Pan African trade policies that make it easier for African brands to scale beyond their home markets and access global opportunities with ease.
Reflecting on landmark global moments for African fashion, Myriam points to Chanel’s historic Métiers d’Art showcase in Dakar in 2022. The first time a European luxury fashion house staged a runway presentation in Sub-Saharan Africa. She describes the moment as a major cultural milestone that further cemented Africa’s growing influence within the global luxury and fashion conversation.
Myriam also highlights taxation as one of the key challenges slowing down the growth of Africa’s fashion and creative industries, noting that high taxes continue to impact manufacturing, infrastructure development and the production of quality goods across the continent. She emphasizes the need for policies that encourage the establishment of local factories, investment in fabric production and capacity building through training programs that meet international standards.
Roselynd Goudiably Laubhouet accessories designer of the brand “Design by Nahyel” from Senegal and founder of Dakar based Nahyel Concept Store, brought a distinct West African flair to the Africa Forward Summit -Le Concert. Through a partnership with Myriam and the “Creations For Purpose” Nahyel Concept Store played a key role in curating the Fashion Pop Up and Fashion Show, creating a vibrant showcase that celebrated African creativity, craftsmanship and cross-cultural collaboration on a continental stage.
Hailing from a deeply artistic family, Roselynd shares that her love for art, design and creativity began at a young age. This passion eventually inspired her to launch her accessories line “Design By Nahyel” with a vision of seeing African art and leather craftsmanship appreciated and embraced by a global audience. Founded in 2019, “Nahyel Concept Store” was strategically established in Dakar to create opportunities for emerging designers who previously lacked access to premium retail spaces to showcase their brands and connect with the right clientele not only within Dakar, but across Africa.
Roselynd believes the future of Africa’s fashion industry lies in stronger collaboration between creatives across the continent. She shares that one of the biggest opportunities for African designers today is the ability to build cross-border partnerships that amplify visibility, strengthen production capacity and open doors to international markets. She also revealed that The Concept Store is setting its sights on expanding its African fashion footprint, with plans to begin stocking Kenyan brands in their Dakar and Abidjan outlets later this year a move that further highlights the growing momentum behind intra-African creative exchange and the continent’s booming fashion economy.
Speaking on the impact of the Africa Forward Summit, Roselynd notes that platforms that intentionally spotlight African fashion, art, and culture are essential in shifting global perceptions about the continent’s creative industry. For her, the summit created an important space for African brands to not only showcase their craftsmanship and innovation but also engage directly with audiences who recognize the value of Africa’s booming creative economy cementing its growing influence as a force within the global fashion industry.
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