Forum Création Africa in Lagos spotlights AI, AR, and VR as tools to redefine African storytelling, with Globacom backing rising creative innovators.
Nigeria and France are deepening cultural and technological cooperation to empower Africa’s next generation of creative talents through digital innovation, with a strong focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR).
The collaboration took center stage at the 2025 Forum Création Africa, held from October 16 to 18, 2025, at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. The event—an initiative of France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, organized by Maison des Mondes Africains (MansA)—brought together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to explore how technology can amplify African creativity and reshape global narratives.
This year’s edition, themed around “From Idea to Business”, featured influential speakers such as Nigerian banker Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who emphasized that AI, when properly deployed, could revolutionize Africa’s creative economy by boosting productivity and innovation.
Panels explored how digital tools are transforming industries such as video games, digital fashion, webtoons, animation, and immersive entertainment. One session titled “African Minds, Global Machines” delved into the ethical and artistic implications of AI, urging creators to view it as a partner rather than a rival.
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Senegalese digital artist Hussein Dembel described AI as both “an opportunity and a moral test,” warning that while AI can accelerate creativity, society must safeguard authenticity and emotional depth in art. Similarly, Hammed Arowosegbe, founder of Swift XR, argued that Africa must move “from being consumers of technology to creators,” stressing the importance of education and responsible AI use.
Arowosegbe predicted a cultural shift in which the world would first over-rely on AI before rediscovering “the irreplaceable value of human touch and ingenuity.”
The forum’s closing ceremony celebrated Africa’s most promising creative talents, with Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., Chairman of Globacom, sponsoring key award categories. Adenuga’s involvement, French officials said, underscores his longstanding commitment to developing Africa’s creative and digital industries.
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, praised the initiative as a bridge between Africa and Europe, while France’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot highlighted the partnership as vital for “building strategic autonomy” and ensuring responsible innovation across borders.