Nigeria: The Headies begins Road to Toronto ahead of 18th edition

The event, titled The Headies: Road to Toronto, brought together representatives from the entertainment, media, business and government sectors to discuss the international growth of Africa’s creative industries and opportunities for investment and cross-border partnerships.

The Headies CEO and founder Ayo Animashaun said the Toronto edition would expand the awards’ focus beyond music to examine the wider economic opportunities associated with Africa’s creative industries.

“The Headies has always been about celebrating the people and sounds shaping African music. With our return to Toronto under Africa to the World, we are expanding that conversation to explore the wider economic opportunities around African creativity and create stronger connections between creatives, businesses, investors and international markets.”

The discussions highlighted the broader ecosystem supporting Africa’s creative industries, including film, fashion, media and technology. Participants also examined opportunities to help businesses operating in these sectors access new markets and investment.

Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in Nigeria Carlos Rojas-Abulu said the growth of African music was accompanied by an expanding business ecosystem involving artists, producers, managers, technology companies, media platforms, designers, lawyers and investors.

“From where I sit, at the Deputy High Commissioner for Canada here, there’s another part of that story that is equally interesting, and that is the economic opportunity growing around that success. Behind the music is an entire ecosystem, and some of you know it very well. There are artists, producers, but also managers, technology companies, media platforms, designers, lawyers, investors, and the list goes on. And they are building businesses around African creativity.”

Rojas-Abulu also pointed to opportunities beyond music in areas such as film, fashion, media and technology, while emphasising the potential for stronger commercial ties between Canada and Nigeria.

A Trade and Investment Summit is planned as part of the Toronto programme. It is expected to bring together investors, business leaders, creatives and public-sector representatives to examine cross-border opportunities spanning technology, aviation, infrastructure, smart cities and the creative industries.

The international expansion of The Headies also aligns with the Nigerian government’s efforts to increase the economic contribution of the creative sector. Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, said the Toronto programme should be viewed as an economic initiative as well as a cultural event.

“The decision to bring the Headies to Canada under the theme Africa to the World is particularly significant. It represents Nigeria to the world, our music, our culture, our stories, our talents and our gifts to have entrepreneurs. But for us in the Federal Government, this is about more than cultural celebration. It has got to be about economic expansion.”

The programme is also expected to build on links between Nigeria and Canada through their creative sectors, businesses and diaspora communities. The African diaspora in Canada provides an additional network for cultural exchange and commercial engagement between the two markets.

The 18th edition of The Headies will be held in Toronto, bringing together participants from Africa, Canada and the wider diaspora. The programme will focus on African music and culture while examining their growing connections to international markets and the wider creative economy.