Facebook to showcase creator tools at Pan-African summit

Meta Platforms Inc’s Facebook will host interactive experiences at the 2026 African Creators Summit in Lagos, Nigeria, aiming to connect with and support the continent’s expanding community of digital creators, the company said on Tuesday.

The event, scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island, is organised under the theme “Building a Sustainable Ecosystem Where Africa Trades Its Swag”, a reference to sound, walk, attire, and grub as elements of cultural and economic expression.

The African Creators Summit has established itself as a key annual gathering for creators, storytellers, innovators, and digital entrepreneurs across the continent.

This year’s edition seeks to foster collaboration between creators, businesses, platforms, policymakers, and partners to strengthen Africa’s creative economy.

Oluwasola Obagbemi, Meta’s head of communications for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the company is focused on enabling creators to thrive within their existing communities.

“We are dedicated to empowering creators in the communities they’re already active in so they can succeed and grow on Facebook while sharing original and engaging content. Events like the African Creators Summit provide a platform to demonstrate that Facebook is all about connecting people,” Obagbemi said in a statement.

Facebook plans to feature a themed booth offering immersive activities that emphasise authentic connections, community building, and meaningful relationships on the platform, positioning it as Africa’s largest network for such interactions.

The company highlighted its ongoing evolution to support creators through features in Groups, Video, and Marketplace, which aid monetisation, audience growth, discovery, and engagement across various content formats.

Oladapo Adewunmi, convener of the African Creators Summit, described creators as “the teachers and architects of modern culture” whose work influences global trends in fashion, thought, and lifestyle.

“Facebook’s continued support of ACS reflects a long-standing belief in creators, their stories, their businesses and their power to drive global impact from Africa. It is a clear commitment to creativity as a catalyst for cultural influence and economic growth,” Adewunmi said.

The summit, now in its third edition, is positioned as more than an event, a catalyst for a diverse, inclusive, and forward-looking Pan-African creative ecosystem. Registration for the summit is free, and it expects to draw creators, young adults, and Nigerian celebrities for networking, collaboration, and interactive sessions.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has increasingly emphasised support for creators in emerging markets like Africa as part of its broader strategy to drive user engagement and revenue through content creation tools.

Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.

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