Maputo – Mozambique’s creative talent is set to take centre stage in Eswatini once again at the 8th edition of the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival, taking place from Saturday, August 1 to Sunday, August 2, 2026 at House On Fire in the Malkerns Valley.
The Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival is a two day feast of culinary exploits, high end fashion, Afrocentric music and family friendly entertainment. The event celebrates the sophistication of African style, cultures, creative design and delicacies through a curated programme of culinary demonstrations by celebrity chefs, wine and whiskey showcases and a regional fashion show.
Hosted by the producers of MTN Bushfire, the festival officially launched its 2026 edition in Mozambique on July 7, 2026 through a stakeholder and media event held at the Standard Bank Incubator Hub in Maputo, in partnership with Standard Bank Mozambique. The launch marks another milestone in Luju’s growing commitment to strengthening the creative, cultural and economic relationship between Mozambique and Eswatini. 
Speaking at the launch, Dayse Madeira Correia, Director of Marketing and Brand Management at Standard Bank Mozambique, described the bank’s investment in culture as a strategic commitment to fostering economic development and supporting the growth of Africa’s creative industries.
“At Standard Bank, we believe that culture is also a driver of economic development. That is why we support initiatives that celebrate African identity, create opportunities for young people, and strengthen the creative industries, a sector that is becoming increasingly important for the diversification of African economies,” she said.
On behalf of Standard Bank Eswatini, Head of Brand & Marketing, Sanele Khumalo, represented by Temaswati Dlamini, spoke about the festival’s evolution from a national event into a platform that promotes African creativity and fosters connections among the continent’s people.
“What began as a celebration in a single market has grown into something much bigger. Today, it is a movement that connects people, creativity, and opportunities beyond borders. We are proud to support platforms that preserve, promote, and showcase the very best of who we are as a continent,” she said.
As one of Southern Africa’s leading food, fashion and lifestyle events, Luju unveiled its expanding collaboration with Mozambique’s arts and culture sector, reflected in the attendance of creative development partners, tourism stakeholders, artists, entrepreneurs and the private sector.
The festival’s Creative Director, Jiggs Thorne, said the organisers’ decision to engage with Mozambique reflects the country’s importance to the festival’s growth, noting that Mozambique is currently the second largest market for the Luju Festival and shares strong cultural and historical ties with Eswatini.
“There is a very clear purpose behind what we do. We are not simply entertainment organizers. We are committed to harnessing the transformative power of the arts and using it as a vehicle for growth and development,” he said.
Mozambique will be strongly represented across the festival’s music, food and fashion programmes. The reigning voice of Marrabenta, Neyma, will bring her guitar driven rhythms rooted in Mozambican culture to the festival’s regional stage.
Adding to the pan-African music line up is a special performance by Ka-Tembe Connexion, a co-produced music project that celebrates the shared history between Mozambique and Eswatini through joint composition and performance.
Mozambique’s fashion and gastronomy will also feature on the festival’s food and fashion programmes, with announcements still to come on the Mozambican fashion designer joining the regional showcase on the Luju Fashion Runway, as well as the culinary expert joining this year’s regional culinary demonstrations.
The event also reinforced Luju’s commitment to building partnerships with Mozambique’s creative ecosystem, strengthening regional collaboration and expanding market access and mobility opportunities for Mozambican creatives, an effort aimed at facilitating knowledge exchange and creating new pathways for MSMEs and cultural entrepreneurs across Southern Africa.
The ceremony was attended by Matilde Muocha, Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, who described Mozambique’s participation in the Luju Festival as an opportunity to strengthen the internationalisation of Mozambican arts and expand the presence of local creators in regional cultural markets.
“Given the scale of the audience and the media exposure the event attracts, we have the opportunity to participate in an economy that extends not only across Southern Africa but throughout the world, as the Luju Festival serves as a gateway to greater visibility for Mozambican arts,” she said.
Beyond the stage, Luju continues to work with Mozambican production company Marrabenta Special Events & Technologies, which has come on board as the sound and tech service provider for the launch and the festival, further reflecting the event’s long term partnership with Mozambique’s creative expertise.
This year’s festival marks several milestones. For the first time in the event’s history, Luju expands into a full two day experience under its founding philosophy, “A Return to the African Future,” celebrating African cuisine, fashion, music, design and entrepreneurship through immersive programming rooted in indigenous knowledge and contemporary African excellence. More than 10,000 festivalgoers from over 26 countries are expected to attend.
For more than a decade, House On Fire has cultivated creative connections between Eswatini and Mozambique through its flagship festivals, with the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival playing an increasingly important role in bringing together musicians, chefs, fashion designers, artisans, entrepreneurs and tourism stakeholders from across the region. Supported by initiatives such as the IGODA Festival Circuit and the Arts Incubator Corridor in partnership with X Hub Mozambique, these collaborations have evolved beyond artistic exchange into partnerships that promote trade, innovation, cultural tourism and creative entrepreneurship.
The Maputo launch represents a new chapter in this journey. Working alongside Standard Bank Mozambique, Mapas Das Artes, the European Union, Cultiv’Arte, Centro Cultural Franco Moçambicano and other strategic partners, Luju aims to deepen engagement with Mozambique’s creative industries while creating new opportunities for collaboration between artists, designers, chefs, entrepreneurs and cultural institutions in both countries.
More than a festival, Luju has become a platform for regional economic development. In 2025, the festival generated E2.7 million in sales for 103 SME traders, 85 percent of whom were local businesses, pointing to the role the creative industries play in stimulating tourism, supporting entrepreneurship, creating employment and driving inclusive economic growth.
The wider House On Fire festival ecosystem has similarly demonstrated the value of investing in culture, with independent research showing an annual contribution of more than E121 million to Eswatini’s economy while supporting over 2,300 jobs.
The festival’s culinary programme this year is inspired by Nguni Foodways, celebrating the indigenous food traditions, knowledge systems and cultural connections that unite communities across Southern Africa. Through culinary demonstrations, conversations and immersive dining experiences, Luju explores how African food continues to shape identity, innovation and sustainable development.
The fashion programme embraces the theme Kwasukasukela (Once Upon a Time), inviting designers to celebrate African storytelling through contemporary design. Headlined by South African designer Mzukisi Mbane, the runway will showcase leading designers from Eswatini alongside emerging creative talent from across the region.
The Maputo launch also precedes the participation of an official Mozambican Ministry delegation at this year’s Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival, further strengthening the shared commitment of Mozambique and Eswatini to advancing regional collaboration through culture, tourism and the creative economy.
Tickets and further information for the festival, which takes place on August 1 and 2, 2026, are available at www.lujufestival.com.
