This October, the global music industry will turn its attention to Tshwane as the city hosts the 2025 Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES) from 30 October to 1 November.
It marks the first time Africa’s premier music trade event comes to Tshwane, bringing together over 1,000 delegates from more than 45 countries for three days of panel discussions, workshops, mentorship sessions, and live performances
ACCES 2025 will gather an impressive roster of industry heavyweights, from Grammy-winning producers to cultural entrepreneurs shaping Africa’s creative economy.
Among the confirmed speakers are Commissioner Gordon Williams, the multi-Grammy-winning U.S. producer known for his work with Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, and Alicia Keys; Bizzle Osikoya of Nigeria’s The Plug;
Dolapo Amusat of WeTalkSound; Cécilia Pietrzko of France’s Grown Kid; and Kwame Safo of the British Council.
“The conference has become the meeting point for the world’s music industry and Africa’s creative heartbeat,” said Eddie Hatitye, Executive Director of the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF).
“With Tshwane as our host city this year, we are creating a space where African voices can influence the global conversation, and where new opportunities for collaboration, trade and investment will be born.”
Beyond its high-level panels, ACCES will host a two-day showcase festival featuring more than 80 African artists.
The lineup includes some of the continent’s biggest names and rising stars such as Focalistic (South Africa), Mörda (South Africa), Zoë Modiga (South Africa), Mwendamberi (Zimbabwe), Mpho Sebina (Botswana), FimFim (Ghana), Frida Amani (Tanzania), and Oumy (Senegal).
The performances, spread across Tshwane, are designed to give artists exposure to talent scouts, festival curators, and investors, turning the city into a live marketplace for African music.
Key themes on the 2025 agenda include access to finance, developing festivals and export platforms, artist protection and copyright, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the creative industries.
These sessions are expected to generate actionable strategies for building sustainable careers in Africa’s fast-growing music economy.
ACCES 2025 is organized by the Music In Africa Foundation in partnership with the City of Tshwane, the South African National Conventions Bureau, and the SAMPRA Development Fund.
Rotating annually across African cities, the event has become the continent’s most significant platform for music professionals to exchange ideas and forge partnerships that extend well beyond Africa.
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