By Udeme Akpan
Nigeria’s fast-growing creative industry is set to receive a major boost following the launch of the CANEX Create-thon 2026, a $50,000 pan-African competition by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and technology firm Gebeya to support innovators in music, film and gaming.
The initiative is expected to create new opportunities for Nigerian creators, with the country’s globally acclaimed music and film industries positioned to benefit from funding, digital tools, technical support and international exposure.
A statement by Afreximbank said the competition, launched under its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, would provide African creators with access to Gebeya’s Dala Studio platform, computing resources and mentorship to develop original projects during a four-day innovation sprint scheduled for August 20–24, 2026.
Unlike conventional pitch competitions, participants will be required to produce working prototypes or completed creative projects in three categories—music, video and gaming.
