The Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Create-thon, powered by Gebeya, has announced nine winners across gaming, video and music categories at Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2026. The live pitch finale, held on 6 November at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Cultural and Creative Arts in Lagos, brought together finalists, industry judges and creative and technology leaders. The competition challenged creators to turn African-inspired ideas into working projects using Gebeya’s Dala Studio.
The CANEX Create-thon was organised through the African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, in partnership with Gebeya and the Afreximbank Innovation Lab. Around 6,000 creators from 43 countries participated in the competition, submitting 792 games, music tracks and videos built on Dala Studio. The top three creators in each category advanced to the live pitch finale, where they were judged by a panel comprising Oluwasemilore Oludipe, Mayenzeke Baza, and others.
The session marked the official launch of the Afreximbank Innovation Lab, aiming to demonstrate how access to technology can help African creators turn ideas into AI-powered digital creations. A panel discussion explored the theme, “Claiming Our Stake in the AI Revolution”, highlighting opportunities and challenges in this fast-evolving area. Temwa Gondwe, Director, Creatives and Diaspora at Afreximbank, emphasised that Africa’s creative influence must translate into greater ownership and economic returns.
Gondwe called for affordable computing power, accessible creative tools, effective distribution channels and stronger protection of creators’ intellectual property. He stressed that access to technology must be accompanied by opportunities to build sustainable businesses, connecting creators with investors, buyers and audiences. The question, he said, is not whether Africa will participate, but how much value Africa will create and own and retain.
The nine category winners were announced, with Feven Birhanu, Racheal Ifeoma Ogugua, and Ndaya Victoria Mulidiki taking first place in gaming, video, and music categories respectively. The competition offered a total prize pool of US$50,000, with first-, second- and third-place prizes in each category worth US$7,000, US$3,500 and US$1,500 respectively.
Additional awards were given to qualifying creators from the top 20 African countries. The winners in each category are: Gaming - Feven Birhanu, Micheal Nomyongo, and Angulu Paul Otoroza; Video - Racheal Ifeoma Ogugua, Hassan Ahmed, and Temilorun Okediji; Music - Ndaya Victoria Mulidiki, David AMA, and Nadia Eman Ibrahim.
The CANEX WKND 2026 Create-thon demonstrates the potential for African creators to produce innovative digital content using AI tools. The event highlights the need for accessible technology, sustainable business opportunities, and stronger intellectual property protection to support the growth of Africa’s creative industry.
Key points
- Nine creators win across gaming, video and music categories at CANEX WKND 2026
- The competition offered a total prize pool of US$50,000
- The event marks a step towards demonstrating Africa’s potential in the AI economy
