Africa and the Caribbean are strengthening their cultural and economic cooperation through the Africa-Caribbean Investment Summit (AACIS) 2026, held in Abuja from March 23 to 28, 2026. The first day highlighted opportunities in the creative industries, including music, film, fashion, and design. The event is positioned as a strategic lever to stimulate cultural exchange and attract investment while promoting creative heritage and fostering sustainable and inclusive growth.
The Africa-Caribbean Investment Summit (AACIS’26) in Abuja, Nigeria, on 23 March was dedicated to opportunities in the creative industries, bringing together political representatives, investors and cultural stakeholders. The creative industry, valued at over $50 billion and employing millions of people across the continent according toAfreximbank represents a rapidly expanding sector with significant potential.
“First, we must finance the culture. Creative industries must be treated as serious economic sectors, and no longer treated as just side conversations. We need more initiatives like CANIX. Initiatives like the Creative Power Arts Convention, which we host in St. Kitts and Nevis, that will drive real development and real global exposure for our creatives.”
Samal Duggins, Minister for the Creative Economy – Saint Kitts and Nevis
The discussions highlighted persistent challenges, including limited access to funding and distribution, and the importance of joint strategies to promote cultural exchange. An agreement was signed with Steve Gukas, filmmaker, director and producer, to strengthen Afro-Caribbean collaboration and promote shared cultural narratives. Initiatives such as the CREA Fund support these efforts, encouraging investment, economic integration and the development of common markets.
“We need to co-produce and co-invest. Africa, the Caribbean, collectively. Across film, music, fashion, and festivals, we need to jointly build, and jointly own, and jointly export globally. We need to see more Africans coming to the Caribbean region to partake in our festivals, such as the St. Kitts Music Festival, such as Sugar Mass, such as Spice Mass in Grenada, where you can enjoy some good jab-jab. en francais”
Samal Duggins, Minister for the Creative Economy – Saint Kitts and Nevis
Participants at AACIS 2026 emphasised the need to strengthen transatlantic cultural corridors and highlighted the role of targeted funding and public-private partnerships in shaping the creative economy. According to the Africa Creative Industry Statistics 2026 report, African cultural industries have generated $310 billion in GDP and have continued to grow since 2018, illustrating their strategic impact and potential for economic transformation across the continent.
