WorldStage–Afreximbank through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, has partnered with pan-African technology company, Gebeya, to unveil the CANEX Create-thon 2026.
A statement issued by Vincent Musumba, Communications and Events Manager, Afreximbank said the competition aims to support African creatives with funding, technology and technical resources.
According to the statement the competition with a total prize pool of 50,000 dollars, is designed to help creators transform original ideas into viable creative projects across music, video and gaming.
The statement said participants would have access to Gebeya’s Dala Studio platform, computing resources and practical technical support during a four-day creation sprint scheduled for Aug. 20 to Aug. 24.
It said the competition was open to amateur, emerging and established creators across Africa, either as individuals or teams, without requiring the backing of production companies, conventional studios or existing audiences.
According to the statement, unlike conventional pitch competitions, participants will be required to develop and submit working prototypes or completed creative projects.
It noted that the initiative sought to demonstrate what African creators could produce when provided with appropriate digital tools, funding, guidance, and wider market exposure.
The statement said between 30 and 40 ambassadors from Gebeya’s community network would support participants throughout the competition by helping them navigate the Dala Studio platform, resolve technical issues and maximise available computing resources.
The statement quoted Mr Temwa Gondwe, Director, Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank, as saying that the competition was designed to bridge the long-standing gap in access to finance and digital infrastructure for African creators.
“Africa’s creators are visible and have the digital talent but have often lacked the financial backing and access to digital tools to grow their trade.
“The CANEX Create-thon bridges this gap by equipping our creators with access to technology to turn their viral ideas into viable long-term businesses.
“Through CANEX, we are enabling creators to retain more value from their work and build a competitive base in regional and global markets. It is time African creators captured the true financial value of their global influence.”
Also, Mr Amadou Daffe, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Gebeya, was quoted as saying: “The commercial momentum behind African creativity is already evident.
“Recorded music revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa have grown by more than 20 per cent in a single year.
“The continent’s gaming market continues to expand, and Nigeria’s film industry remains among the world’s largest by production volume”.
Daffe, however, said many creators still lacked access to the technology and production infrastructure needed to realise the full potential of their ideas.
“Through Dala Studio, the CANEX Create-thon will place practical digital tools directly in the hands of creators and challenge them to build original music, video and gaming projects.”
The statement said winners will be selected in the three competition categories, with first-place winners receiving 7,000 dollars, second-place winners 3,500 dollars and third-place winners 1,500 dollars.
It added that qualifying finalists would also receive awards of 500 dollars in line with the competition guidelines.
The statement said all submissions would undergo technology-assisted screening before proceeding to a public voting stage that would determine the top 100 projects.
It added that an expert panel comprising professionals from the creative, technology and business sectors would select the final winners.
According to the statement, first-place winners in each category will receive the opportunity to attend CANEX WKND 2026, scheduled to hold at the National Theatre, Lagos, from Nov. 5 to Nov. 8, 2026.
The statement added that winners would also gain exposure through Afreximbank’s CANEX network and opportunities to engage with investors, businesses, policymakers and leaders in the creative industry.
It said registration for the competition would open on July 30 and close on Aug. 19.According to the statement, interested creators can obtain competition guidelines covering eligibility, intellectual property and submission requirements through the CANEX Create-thon registration portal: https://wknd.canex.africa/canex-create-thon-2026.
