NMO Management, organisers of Pan African Music Fashion Runway has concluded plans to host Africa’s first sustainable recycling festival, “Artistic Pulse Festival”.
The event which is scheduled to hold in Lagos from Dec. 3 -7, 2025 at the Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa would bring together designers, musicians, filmmakers and technologists to showcase cutting-age work, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and drive the continent’s cultural and economic growth.
Speaking at a media briefing heralding the 5-day event, Group Managing Director, NMO Management who is also the convener of the “Artistic Pulse Festival”, Dr. Ngozi Omambala said that the event would feature American music idol and global award winner, Jordin Sparks as the headline performer among top international artists.
Omambala, who is the Vice- Chairperson Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Creative Economy as well as the immediate past Chairperson, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Creative and Entertainment Group explained that the invitation of the music icon was to give the event international look and attract more participants from Nigeria and across the globe.
“We’re excited to announce global superstar and America idol winner, Jordin Sparks is confirmed headline Artistic Pulse Festival international artist performing live in Lagos. Artists like Jordan Sparks, I think, are great because she’s a global phenomenon. She wants to come to Africa’’.
She further explained that the festival which comes under the theme,“ Footprints of Interconnectivity Growth and Expansion: Creativity, Culture, Commerce and Innovation, would also feature symposium/debates, a children’s corner & art gallery/play zone and creative workshops.
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“There would also be a trade fair segment, where innovation, food, film fashion, and art, among others, would be displayed by the participants from different African countries and other continents’’.
On the idea behind the staging of the Artistic Pulse Festival, NMO boss said that it hoped to promote the creative sector, which she believes is a veritable sector for the Nigerian economy.
“We aim to leverage mutual synergies while demonstrating our commitment to supporting SMEs, using sustainable practices to promote commerce, innovation, and productivity at #APFTRADEFAIR, where ‘creativity meets commerce,’ contributing to Africa’s growth.
”So the Artistic Pulse Festival is one of those platforms that’s really generating a lot of energy. Making sure that our creative sectors are on that global map. And so, in a way, we’re generating tourism.
”We’re generating jobs. We know that our industry, our population, 230 million, and 60 percent or 70 percent are under the age of 30. We’ve got a huge human capital resource and a lot of talent. So we need festivals like this. We have put on the map so that we can create tourism, create jobs, drive the community with a trade fair, and everybody can be a positive contributor to the economy.
”So for me, that’s the rationale behind it. Being a member of the Lagos Chamber, being Vice Chairperson at Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and also being part of the Lagos State Programme has really given me a lot of understanding, information, and knowledge about how the creative sector can be galvanised to support the economy, support individuals, support our youth and support women and attaining sustainability,” she said.
While acknowledging Lagos State support, Vice Chairperson of NACCIMA, Creative Economy noted that the Artistic Pulse Festival Trade Fair offers SMEs the avenue to grow and contribute to the growth of Africa’s economy.
”The Artistic Pulse Festival Trade Fair supports SME’s driving the economy, contributing to Africa’s growth supported by Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives Trade and Investment (MCCTI) at the forefront of export readiness programmes for SME community,” Omambala added.
Speaking also at the media briefing, president LCCI, Gabriel Idahosa emphasised that the creative sector is a goldmine for Nigeria if full exploited
”As I used to tell my colleagues, that the creative industry is just as important as the oil and gas industry. If you are looking at oil and gas as a big deal, you know, just look at the creative industry in that sense. So, about performance indicators, the creative industry should be as visible, should be supported as the traditional industry that Nigeria used to live on.
”The creative industry is mostly mainstreamed into the DNA of the business community. It’s very quiet. But Nigeria’s future economy is the creative industry,’ he added.
However, he urged organisations to focus more on the creative industry adding, “a youth-led business that puts Nigeria at advantage, based on its large youth population, whose creative work is making waves in foreign countries.
On his part, renowned fashion designer and the, CEO of XA! International, Ovo Ogufere noted that the opportunities in the fashion business are huge, and for Nigerian youths to make the right breakthrough, they need the collaboration of international counterparts to achieve that.
”So the best way to achieve this is by collaborating, which is one of the things that we’re doing with the platform this year, because it focuses on music, on art, on fashion, comedy. By the time you put all of these different areas together, we’re stronger. I’m talking about having the international artists coming to perform in Nigeria’’.
On her part, co-founder of Lagos Island Connect, Yemisi Ransome –Kuti lauded the organisers of the “Artistic Pulse Festival”, describing it as ‘an expose of the soul of a city’’.
According to her, every aspect of human activity is focused on, enlarged, portrayed and projected to the world, this is like you telling the world, come , this is who lam. Come and feel us. Come and enjoy and savour the gorgeous and awesome things we have to offer as a nation in this venue’’.
Ransome –Kuti emphasised the importance of the festival in strengthening community ties and creating opportunities for economic and social inclusion. “It is important to engage and ensure that this activity benefits the community. It impacts the environment positively. The investment and the benefits that come out of it should not just be for the organisers, but for the entire community locally in the short term and then in the long term as well,’’ she added.
It is interesting to note that the 2025 Pan African Music Fashion Runway would take place simultaneously with the “Artistic Pulse Festival”, but on the Dec.6.
