As the Nigerian creative industry continues its ascent on the global stage, the conversation is shifting from celebrating talent to building the necessary infrastructure to sustain it. This evolution is perfectly mirrored in the journey of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive), according to its convener, Ayeni Adekunle.
In a recent interview, Ayeni Adekunle passionately invited the public to the upcoming NECLive on Friday, November 28, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, while articulating a profound change in the conference’s mission.
“We do all these conferences every year. We thought we knew what to do. Some of the most brilliant creatives in the world that I found are from Africa, from Nigeria, writers, producers, singers, actors, and so on.”
However, he stressed that talent alone is not the solution. “Talent is not the problem; we’ve got the talent. But to build what America has that we like, to build what China has, we need to harness the resources.”
This realisation led to a fundamental shift in NECLive’s focus five years ago. What began as a platform to “discuss the issues facing us and to see if we can brainstorm solutions has transformed into a “marketplace of ideas.”
“We want to hear from people who are doing. We want to learn from people who are doing. And we want to signal to the world all the great things coming from here,” drawing comparison to global hubs like Las Vegas, which hosts major industry events like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). He noted that these events are not just about panel discussions but about exhibitions, demonstrations, and deal-making.
“We’ve designed NECLive to not only be a place where you come and listen to people talk—come and see what people are doing, come and test what people are doing, and to be able to access the kind of deals that you may not have had the opportunity to access where you’re not there,” he stated.
The African creative economy needs hundreds of thought leadership platforms to build a robust ecosystem. By evolving into a marketplace, NECLive aims to be a critical hub where the continent’s immense creative potential can finally connect with the resources and infrastructure required to build a sustainable, world-class industry.
NECLive 2025 will be held on Friday, November 28 2025, at Landmark Events Centre.
The post NECLive has evolved into a marketplace of ideas – Ayeni Adekunle appeared first on Nigerian Entertainment Today.
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