There is something that happens when you walk into a room full of people thinking seriously about Africa’s future. The conversations feel different. By the time you leave, you carry something that did not exist before you arrived. I was at the 2026 Africa Soft Power Summit in Nairobi, Kenya from 20 to 23 May, and I came back with more than content. I came back with perspective.
The Panels Were the Heart of It
What I appreciated most about the summit was that panellists did not come to perform. They came with practical, grounded insight — the sort you write down and return to weeks later. No empty motivational speeches. Just real people talking about real things.
At From Presence to Participation: African Women and the Economics of Access, TechCabal CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo made a point that stayed with me long after the session ended. Building more inclusive pathways to leadership for women requires structural change and consistent, intentional effort — and he is not saying it in theory. His organisation reflects it, with women occupying top senior leadership positions across the board.
Creators As Economic Power: How Influencers, Artists and Storytellers Are Shaping Africa’s Global Position opened with a question I have not stopped thinking about. When you think of Africa’s creative exports, what comes to mind first? Music, film, fashion, sports, content, visual arts — the answers are wide and layered. But a bigger question sits underneath all of that: are we selling our identity as exports, and are we actually consuming our own content? That conversation needed to happen.
You only need to hear the applause that follows Rita Dominic into a room to understand how loved and respected she is. During The Female Economy: Africa’s Most Undervalued Growth Engine, she reflected on how far Nollywood has come — from the DVD era to the rise of streaming platforms — and the many challenges that came with that evolution. There were many memorable moments from her session, but one line cut through everything else. “Visibility will get you hired, but ownership will get you paid.” I wrote it down the moment she said it and I have not stopped sharing it since.
D’banj‘s session gave us one of the clearest articulations of what has shifted in African music. He spoke about how the industry has learned to love itself more, and how that self-love is now showing up in the sound, the stories, and the confidence with which African artists take up space globally. To close his session, he performed “Fall in Love” for the audience and they immediately got on their feet. You really had to be there.
The Obi of Onitsha was in attendance, as he has been for past editions — a presence that always adds weight to the gathering. The gala and awards night was a full experience, complete with a fashion runway show where African designers showcased their collections. African fashion is not a side conversation at this summit — it belongs at the centre of any serious discussion about soft power. Watching Bolanle Austen-Peters receive the Architect of the Future Award was one of the night’s most memorable moments. Well deserved, and the room agreed.
Nairobi Felt Like Home
I did not expect to feel as at home in Nairobi as I did, but the city reminded me of Lagos almost immediately — busy, warm, and full of life. A few things caught my attention as I explored. The driving system is on the right. Kenya has a remarkable giraffe population, and our visit to the Giraffe Centre was one of the most delightful parts of the trip. The country is widely known as the birthplace of the safari experience, and after visiting Nairobi National Park — where we spotted guinea fowl, ostriches, vultures, giraffes, impalas, and several rhinoceroses, all within the boundaries of the capital city — I completely understand why. Kenya also produces some of the fastest long-distance runners in the world.
I left Nairobi genuinely inspired — not in the vague way that sometimes follows a conference, but in the specific, practical way that comes from hearing people speak truthfully about what they have built and what still needs building. The Africa Soft Power Summit is not a talking shop. It is a room where real ideas meet real commitment and I’m so glad BellaNaija was a media partner.
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BellaNaija’s Funmilola attended the seventh edition of the Africa Soft Power Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, where Rita Dominic, D’banj, Tomiwa Aladekomo, and Bolanle Austen-Peters led conversations on African creativity, female leadership, and economic ownership.
The post I Went to the Africa Soft Power Summit 2026 in Nairobi and These Are the Moments I Cannot Stop Thinking About appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!. Read More
