Johannesburg is hosting the Africa Live Entertainment Conference from April 23 to 25, 2026, bringing together figures from the music, live events, touring, policy and investment sectors to discuss the future of Africa’s live entertainment industry.
The three-day conference, known as ALEC 2026, has received endorsement from the National Council for Arts and Culture and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Confirmed keynote speakers include Ninikanwa Olachi Okey-Uche, the Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Olivier Laouchez of Trace TV, Sipho Dlamini of Gamma and Mo Abudu of EbonyLife. Other confirmed speakers and panelists include Cuthbert Ncube of the Africa Tourism Board, Annabell Lebethe of SAMRO, Bizzle Osikoya of The Plug, Mozambican artist Dama do Bling, entertainment executive Amu Oraefo, Usher Nyambi of ALEC and Walter Wanyanya of the Jacaranda Festival. 
Organisers say the conference will focus on challenges affecting the sector, including touring infrastructure, artist mobility, visa access, financing and revenue systems across the continent.
ALEC founder and convener Anthonia Yetunde Alab said the industry needs more than talent to grow. “Africa’s live entertainment industry is full of potential, but unlocking that potential requires more than talent, it requires structure, collaboration, and intentional investment,” she said. “ALEC was created to bring together the people shaping the industry, not just to have conversations, but to drive real, long-term outcomes for the continent.”
The conference programme includes keynote addresses, panel discussions, closed-door roundtables and a Women in Live Arts brunch. Planned sessions cover topics such as the state of African live entertainment, breaking African artists into international markets, festivals and the fan experience, music rights and royalties, touring mobility and visa cooperation, and a closing roundtable titled the Johannesburg Commitments.
Organisers expect participation from stakeholders across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Senegal, among other African countries.
