ACCES 2025 host city to be announced on 1 April

In 2024, ACCES introduced a bidding system that allows any African country or city to apply for a chance to host the prestigious annual event. This move was part of a broader strategy to make the event more accessible to any country willing to collaborate with the MIAF in implementing ACCES for a period of up to two years.

Five cities competing

Following the open call last year, five cities submitted competitive bids to host the event, namely Tshwane (for 2025), Johannesburg (for 2026), Kigali, Kampala, and Tunis.

“We extend our gratitude to all the cities that applied to host ACCES in 2025 and 2026 in their beautiful locations,” Music In Africa Foundation Executive Director Eddie Hatitye said. “We are impressed by the quality of the bids and, more importantly, the increasing commitment by many African governments and stakeholders to work collaboratively on unlocking the full economic value of the music industry in Africa.”

“The host city for the 2025 and 2026 editions of ACCES will be officially announced on 1 April via the Music In Africa portal and on our social media platforms,” added Hatitye.

A premier pan-African music trade event

Since its launch in 2017, ACCES has become a pivotal platform for the African music sector, connecting industry professionals, fostering knowledge exchange, and showcasing emerging talents from across the continent. ACCES places a strong emphasis on professional development, giving musicians and industry stakeholders access to key success drivers.

The music trade event attracts key stakeholders across the music value chain, including distributors, publishers, promoters, bookers, record labels, musicians, collective management organisations (CMOs), funders, policymakers, and NGOs. ACCES features a diverse programme, including a two-day conference, a two-day pan-African showcase festival, networking sessions, training workshops, masterclasses, industry exhibitions, awards, and collaborative songwriting camps.

Over the years, ACCES has brought together thousands of music professionals in cities such as Dakar (2017), Nairobi (2018), Accra (2019), Johannesburg (2021), Dar es Salaam (2022 and 2023), and Kigali (2024).

Read more about ACCES here.