By Onyekachi Victoria Philip
The East–West Amalgamation Through Tourism and Creative Arts, is positioning Africa’s tourism and creative industries as catalysts for investment, economic growth and stronger cross-border partnerships as a movement aimed at connecting Africa to the rest of the world.
Founded by Motherland Beckons in collaboration with AAGC under the Ipada Initiatives, the project seeks to deepen economic and cultural ties between East and West Africa by bringing together governments, investors, business leaders, creatives and tourism leaders on one platform.
Unlike conventional cultural festivals, the initiative combines tourism, creative arts and investment promotion, creating opportunities for businesses to explore emerging markets in Ethiopia and across Africa while strengthening intra-African collaboration.
To broaden its impact, they will leverage the extensive network of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), regarded as Africa’s largest chamber of commerce, alongside Turkey’s Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), a global business organisation with an international footprint.
The first quarterly edition is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026 and is expected to attract diplomats, investors, entrepreneurs, tourism operators and creative professionals from across Africa and beyond.
The programme will feature business networking sessions, investment dialogues, cultural exhibitions and entertainment.
Organisers added that the initiative builds on years of cultural engagement that began in 2017 with a pioneering tour of Ethiopia involving Nigerian and African-American participants.
Since then, collaborative concerts, artistic exchanges and cultural festivals have strengthened relationships between Nigeria and Ethiopia while showcasing Africa’s creative diversity.
The movement is also expanding into the film industry with the production of “ADDIS-A-LAGOS,” a feature film written by veteran Nigerian screenwriter Tunde Babalola.
The project will be filmed and premiered in both Nigeria and Ethiopia, bringing together actors, filmmakers and production professionals from the two countries in what organisers describe as another milestone in promoting African storytelling.
The East–West Amalgamation is designed to become a long-term platform where culture, commerce and tourism converge, demonstrating that Africa’s creative industries can serve as powerful drivers of economic development, regional integration and global investment.