The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, has joined forces with pan-African tech firm Gebeya to unveil the CANEX Create-thon 2026—a high-energy competition designed to empower African creators to develop original music, video, and gaming projects. The initiative comes with a combined prize purse of US$50,000, backed by technical support, computing resources, and mentorship, all condensed into a four-day creation sprint.
The competition is open to creators at every level—amateurs, emerging talents, and established professionals—across the African continent. Participants, whether individuals or teams, will develop working creative projects on Gebeya’s Dala Studio platform during the sprint, scheduled for August 20–24, 2026.
From Pitch to Product
Unlike traditional pitch competitions that reward ideas on paper, the CANEX Create-thon demands tangible deliverables: working prototypes or completed projects. Organizers emphasize that the competition is designed to showcase what African creators can achieve when armed with digital tools, technical guidance, funding, and exposure.
Participants will be supported by 30 to 40 ambassadors drawn from Gebeya’s community network. These mentors will assist creators in navigating the Dala Studio platform, troubleshooting technical issues, and making optimal use of available computing resources.
Bridging the Gap Between Talent and Commercial Success
Temwa Gondwe, Director of Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank, framed the initiative as a critical intervention: “Africa’s creators are visible and possess immense digital talent, but they have often lacked the financial backing and access to digital tools needed to grow their trade. The CANEX Create-thon bridges this gap by equipping our creators with technology to transform 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’s time African creators captured the true financial value of their global influence.”
Amadou Daffe, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Gebeya, added: “The commercial momentum behind African creativity is already undeniable. Recorded music revenues in Sub-Saharan Africa have grown by over 20 percent 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. Yet many creators still lack access to the technology and production infrastructure needed to realize their ideas’ full potential. Through Dala Studio, the CANEX Create-thon will place practical digital tools directly in creators’ hands and challenge them to build original projects. We want to help African creators move from inspiration to execution—from experimentation to products that can reach audiences, attract partners, and create commercial value.”
Prizes and Recognition
The competition will award first, second, and third place in each of the three categories: music, video, and gaming. First-place winners will receive US$7,000, second-place US$3,500, and third-place US$1,500. Additional US$500 awards will be presented to qualifying finalists in line with competition guidelines.
The first-place winner in each category will also receive an all-expenses-paid opportunity to attend CANEX WKND 2026, scheduled for November 5–8, 2026, at the National Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria.
How to Participate
Registration opens on July 30, 2026, and closes on August 19, 2026. All eligible submissions will undergo technology-assisted screening to confirm compliance with competition requirements before advancing to a public voting stage, which will determine the top 100 projects. An expert panel drawn from the creative, technology, and business sectors will then evaluate the shortlisted entries and select the winners.
A Broader Vision
The CANEX Create-thon is part of Afreximbank’s wider strategy to support the development and commercialization of Africa’s creative and cultural industries. Organizers also intend for the programme to serve as a model for identifying creative technology talent and supporting the development of commercially viable African creative products.
Eligible creators can register at the official competition portal and access full guidelines covering eligibility, intellectual property, and submission requirements.
