About this Event
The Africa Soft Power Summit, the premier cross-sector convening for Africa’s creative, innovation, finance and leadership ecosystems, returns to Nairobi from 20–23 May 2026. Now in its seventh edition, the summit has evolved into a distinctive platform spanning finance, policy, technology, and the creative industries, where Africa’s cultural and creative capital increasingly intersect with investment and broader economic priorities.
What is emerging is not just an annual gathering, but a room where Africa's growth story is rewritten - anchored in both its tangible and intangible assets, and built on the partnerships, markets, institutions, capital, and ideas that make that story real.
This year’s theme, “Africa’s Compound Interest: Aligning Ecosystems of Finance, Creativity and Human Capital for Growth”, reflects a simple but urgent proposition: Africa’s next advantage will not come from creativity, capital, innovation or inclusion working in isolation. It will come from the compounding effect created when these forces are aligned.
The 2026 programme is built around three interconnected pillars:
Inclusion, Leadership & Market Access: How do power, participation, governance, consumer influence, and enterprise shape who builds, earns, owns, and leads.?
Innovation, Creativity & Cultural Value: How do African ideas, creators, brands, and technologies shape markets, influence global narratives, and generate competitive advantage?
Capital, Ownership & Scale: How can investment, finance, policy, platforms and diaspora and institutional capital convert African creativity and innovation into long-term value and durable economic value?
Summit Programme
May 20th | Arrival & Welcome
Info: Welcome to the Africa Soft Power’s 2026 Summit. The Summit begins with an evening gathering that sets the tone for the days ahead. Meet your fellow speakers, participants, and partners for an evening of casual conversation and introductions at one of Nairobi’s most talked-about restaurants.
May 21st | Leadership, Inclusion & Market Power
Info: The first full day of the Summit examines power: who holds it, who accesses it, who builds with it, and how it shapes Africa’s economic future.
Powered by African Women on Board, the day explores how capital is allocated, how markets function, how creative and digital sectors grow, and how demand and purchasing power reshape industries.
Conversations center inclusion through SMEs, women's leadership, creative and innovation ecosystems, and financial access within the wider architecture of finance, enterprise and market participation.
The RAW Leadership Circle
Info: A celebration of Remarkable African Women who are redefining their industries and shaping culture across film, literature, beauty, business and beyond. The evening spotlights trailblazers, pairing each woman's story and work with wines chosen by a sommelier to reflect her journey, impact and vision. It is an intimate gathering for recognition, conversation and connection away from the formal summit setting.
May 22nd | Creativity, Innovation, Capital, and Commerce
Info: The second full day of the Summit examines how Africa’s creative, technological and cultural influence becomes investable value.
From AI and data ownership to diaspora capital, creator economics, and investment agendas, the programme asks what it takes to move from visibility to ownership, from cultural influence to market power, from global attention to durable economic value. Leaders from technology, finance, media, sports, art, entertainment and policy will join the conversations to discuss necessary topics such as AI and data sovereignty, diaspora capital and its untapped compounding potential, the value of the creator economy, institutional support for creative and innovative industries, and what the investment agenda is.
ASP Culture Shifter Spotlight Brand: An Exclusive Evening with Dye Lab
Info: An intimate, high-level evening with Dye Lab, one of Africa’s most compelling fashion brands, exploring how locally rooted design excellence can power global scale. The evening opens with a fireside conversation with the founder, unpacking the journey of building a brand that balances creative identity with commercial growth.
Guests will then step into the latest collection - an immersive encounter with the craftsmanship, design, and storytelling behind the brand, with opportunities to acquire pieces.
This is a rare look at how culture becomes a competitive advantage and a scalable investment opportunity. How a locally rooted African brand builds toward long-term scale, institutional relevance, and global reach. More than a showcase, this is an example of ASP’s wider proposition: creating the conditions for strategic access, sharper visibility, and new pathways into capital, partnership, and market expansion.
May 23rd | #MagicalKenya: Explore Nairobi & Beyond
Info: Come for the insight, connections, and future-facing conversations. Stay for a curated journey into Nairobi and beyond.
From private safaris and close encounters with wildlife to cultural immersions and bespoke city experiences, delegates are invited into a deeper, more exclusive perspective of one of Africa’s most rewarding capitals.
Nairobi becomes more than the host city. It becomes part of the Summit experience: a living expression of African innovation, creativity, enterprise, conservation and cultural energy.
Africa Soft Power Gala & Awards
Info: The Summit’s red-carpet finale celebrates the talent, enterprise, leadership and vision shaping Africa’s creative economy and global influence.
Everything about the evening is a celebration of African culture and achievements. The fashion-forward event features award presentations, a live fashion exhibition, and live performances. It is where the Summit ideas are brought to life through recognition, entertainment, style and cultural presence.
May 24th | #MagicalKenya: Explore Nairobi & Beyond
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands, 38 Muthithi Road, Nairobi, Kenya
USD 400.00 to USD 450.00
