Key Speakers & Luminaries: Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Governor of Lagos State), Gavin Newsom (Governor of California), Mike Dada (President & Founder, AFRIMA), Lekan Salaam (CEO, Afretrade), Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, Victoria Remi Nkong, and Rory Douglas (CEO, Aqua Financial)
In a milestone move to deepen bilateral trade, technology transfer, and commercial capital flows between Africa’s largest economic sub-region and the world’s fifth-largest economy, prominent government and business leaders are gathering for the high-level California-Lagos Business & Investment Summit. Headlining the delegation are Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) President Mike Dada.
Organized under the theme “Building the California-Nigeria Business Bridge,” the private sector-led convening is scheduled for September 17 and 18, 2026, across Sacramento and San Francisco. Spearheaded by Afretrade alongside the US Diaspora United Chamber of Commerce, the NIED Group, and the Lagos State Office of Diaspora Affairs, the summit connects institutional investors, venture capitalists, diaspora leaders, and tech founders to drive targeted capital matching.
Deepening Cross-Border Trade
The two-day forum serves as a practical deal-making platform focused on sectors where California and Lagos hold distinct global advantages. Key agenda items center on financial technology, logistics infrastructure, green energy solutions, commercial real estate, and venture capital access for emerging enterprises.
Afretrade Chief Executive Officer Lekan Salaam, alongside prominent delegates including Dr. Charly Lemassi, Dr. Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, Dr. Jameine Sanwo-Olu, bridgeAfric President Victoria Remi Nkong, and Aqua Financial CEO Rory Douglas, will lead pitch sessions and high-level panels. The program kicks off in Sacramento with an official opening at the historic Stanford Mansion and a gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency, followed by an executive networking reception in San Francisco on September 18.
Monetizing Africa’s Creative Industries
A major focus of the 2026 summit is the economic expansion of the creative sector. Delivering a keynote titled “From Culture to Capital: Unlocking the California-Lagos Creative Economy,”AFRIMA President Mike Dada will outline strategies for transforming African music, film, and digital media into sustainable asset classes capable of attracting institutional venture funding.
Highlighting intellectual property protections and cross-border distribution channels, Dada noted: “Africa is no longer simply a source of creative content for global markets; Africa is a market, a talent hub, and a primary investment destination. The real opportunity before us is building structures that allow creators to retain economic value from their intellectual property while accessing the technology and international partnerships needed to scale.”
AFRIMA Partnership Bridges Silicon Valley Capital with African Innovation
To ensure African creative assets are integrated into wider trade discussions, AFRIMA has entered into an official strategic partnership with the summit. Established in 2011 in collaboration with the African Union, AFRIMA has consistently championed commercial ecosystem building alongside artistic excellence.
AFRIMA Regional Director for Central Africa, Nde Ndifonka, emphasized that bridging California’s tech and capital hubs with Lagos’ entrepreneurial energy establishes sustainable monetization pathways for creators ahead of the landmark 10th AFRIMA edition scheduled for 2027.
