The Africa soft power summit will return to Nairobi, Kenya, from 20 to 22 May 2026, with an extended programme running through 24 May, reinforcing the city’s place as one of Africa’s most important meeting points for ideas, culture, commerce and continental exchange.
Bringing together voices from across Africa, the diaspora and global markets, the summit convenes at the intersection of the creative and tech industries, women’s leadership, policy and capital.
This year’s theme, “Africa’s Compound Interest: Aligning Ecosystems of Finance, Creativity and Human Capital for Growth”, reflects the growing convergence between capital, creativity, and the institutions that develop and deploy talent.
At the heart of the 2026 programme are three anchor experiences: the Remarkable African Women’s Leadership Conference (May 21st), the Creative & Innovative Industries Conference (May 22nd), and the ASP Gala & Awards (May 23).
RAW, powered by African Women on Board, remains the continent’s first gathering focused on African women’s leadership.
The Creative & Innovative Industries Conference examines the relationship between creative endeavour and commercial viability, while the Gala brings African excellence across art, fashion, film, entertainment, media and technology to the centre of the summit experience.
The 2026 summit programme also includes curated experiences across Nairobi and beyond.
According to Dr Nkiru Balonwu, Founder of the Africa Soft Power Group, the summit responds to a period in which global capital, technology and policy frameworks are being redefined – and Africa’s role within them is increasingly consequential.
“The world is looking for fresh solutions, credible leadership and new pathways for growth. Africa’s creative and innovation sectors have already shown that they are not peripheral to that future. They are central to it. Nairobi gives us a fitting setting for that conversation because it reflects so much of the ambition, energy and connectivity the continent is building.”
ASP’s track record in Nairobi already includes examples of the kind of connections the platform is designed to enable, from brand storytelling and market visibility to investor access and scale-up conversations.
More broadly, previous ASP convenings have brought together a distinctly cross-sector mix of voices from organisations such as Netflix, Meta, Mastercard, Google, MTN, NBA, Apple, NFL, Safaricom, Amazon Studios, Afreximbank, IFC, Bank of Industry, AfCFTA, NGX Group alongside former heads of state, ministers, founders, media leaders and cultural figures from across Africa and beyond.
