Afro Nation Nigeria cancelled, Ghanaians react

The highly anticipated Afro Nation Nigeria festival, scheduled to take place in Lagos in December 2023, has been called off.

The announcement was made by the organisers in a press statement released earlier today.

In the said statement, the organisers mentioned that it was a difficult decision to cancel the much anticipated concert but had to make the move following the impossibility to deliver a show that was of the quality that Nigeria deserved.

“Unfortunately, the Afro Nation Nigeria festival in Lagos will now not be taking place. As event organizers, we hold ourselves to extremely high standards, and it has become clear to us that it is currently not possible to deliver a show that is of the quality that Nigeria deserves in December 2023." (Related article: Davido hints on AfroNation going to Nigeria this year)

“Afro Nation has been at the forefront of the Afrobeats community, providing a platform for artists to connect with their fans and creating events that have a profound impact on global culture. The organizers have successfully hosted spectacular shows in various locations, including Portugal, Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami, and Detroit. However, Nigeria holds a special place in their hearts, and the decision to cancel the event was undoubtedly a difficult one,” part of the statement reads.

The statement further expressed gratitude to the fans and supporters, saying, “We know that you are as disappointed as we are, and to all those who have purchased tickets, we love you and thank you for supporting us on this journey. We will see you again soon."

Background

AfroNation is an all-inclusive music and arts festival meant to celebrate and eulogise African culture across various continents, not just Africa.

The maiden edition was held in 2019 in Ghana after the organisers signed a 5-year partnership deal with the government of Ghana.

However, the event was put on hold the next year following the outbreak of coronavirus and its resultant effects on events and ban on social gatherings.

Last year, the event organised by Live Nation, Event Horizon, Smade Entertainment, and Memories of Tomorrow returned with a bang where revelers were entertained with performances by America’s Meek Mill as headline artiste, Nigeria’s P Square, Tiwa Savage, Rema, Ckay and Ghana’s team of Kuami Eugene, KiDi, Gyakie and Camidoh among others at the two days festival.

However, news of the popular festival moving to Nigeria were rife in April when Nigeria’s music icon, Davido said in a recent interview on Hot 97 in US that the festival was moving to his home country this December.

With the latest development, Ghanaian revellers are expectant that Afro Nation will come back to Ghana in December.

Read full statement below: