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The 2025 edition of Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) opened on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, in Lagos with a colourful and energetic ceremony that marked the beginning of a week dedicated to celebrating and advancing Africa’s creative economy. Held across the Livespot Entertarium, EbonyLife Cinema, and other partner venues, the event attracted creators, investors, industry leaders, and international guests.
The ceremony opened with striking cultural and artistic displays, including traditional drumming, modern choreography, and immersive multimedia visuals that showcased Africa’s evolution in film, music, fashion, technology, and digital creativity. This set the stage for this year’s theme, “Close the Gap,” which focuses on addressing issues of access, visibility, funding, and opportunity across the continent’s creative sectors.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of EWA’s esteemed global guest lineup, featuring British rapper Stormzy, American actor Jonathan Majors, celebrity stylists Matthew Henson and Kollin Carter, as well as entrepreneur Emma Grede, co-founder of Good American and a key force behind SKIMS. Their participation signals EWA’s growing influence on the international creative stage.
Attendees were also shown a short documentary reflecting on EWA’s growth since inception, spotlighting its record attendance, industry showcases, and contributions to talent development. Musical performances and cross-continental collaborations added to the evening’s vibrancy.
The programme lineup for the week was also unveiled, including the Film Hub, Deal Room, Music & Film Content Market, Creative Job Fair, Creators Day, Music Camp, and Runway Showcase + Film Lab.
Overall, the opening ceremony set an inspiring tone for EWA 2025, reinforcing its role as Africa’s leading platform for creative exchange, innovation, and global cultural impact.
