African creative entrepreneurs have until September 25, 2026 to apply for the CANEX Creative Pitch Competition, an investor-focused initiative that will bring selected founders before financiers and industry experts in Lagos this November. Organised through Afreximbank’s SME Development Department and the Creative Africa Nexus, the competition will form part of CANEX WKND 2026, taking place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Cultural & Creative Arts from November 5 to 8. The top prize is $20,000, with the competition designed to connect promising creative enterprises with capital, professional feedback and potential opportunities within the wider CANEX ecosystem.
The competition is open across a broad range of creative industries, including literature and publishing, alongside film and audiovisual content, fashion and design, music, sports, gastronomy, visual arts, performing arts and creative technology. Applicants can be individuals, early-stage startups or established enterprises, with selection based on factors including the viability and scalability of the venture, market potential, revenue model, creative-sector alignment and potential social and economic impact. Selected finalists will pitch their businesses live in Lagos on November 5 and 6, with each given five minutes to present followed by five minutes of questions from the judging panel. The competition is intended not only to award prize money but to place creative businesses in front of investors and potential deal-making opportunities.
Applications are being accepted in English, French, Arabic, Swahili and Portuguese, reflecting the competition’s pan-African orientation. Finalists must attend the live session in Lagos and provide a designated presenter; remote or proxy pitches will not be accepted. Applicants will also be asked to explain their business, identify what distinguishes it, demonstrate how it generates revenue, state the amount of funding sought and explain how the funds would be used. With the application window closing on September 25 and winners scheduled to be announced on November 6, the competition offers African creative enterprises an opportunity to place their ideas before an investor audience at one of the continent’s major creative-industry gatherings.
Click the link below to apply:
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