The Abuja International Afrojazz Festival will return for its fourth edition from November 18 to 21, 2026, with a new Professional Music Market designed to connect Nigerian music professionals with international industry players.
The festival will feature music showcases, a cross-border artist residency and a grand finale concert headlined by award-winning singer and producer Cobhams Asuquo, alongside festival founder The Salako, Jessica Bongos and other international performers.
The Professional Music Market, scheduled for November 19 and 20 in Jabi, Abuja, will bring together about 20 international professionals from 10 countries, including festival directors, promoters, booking agents, journalists, intellectual-property experts, artists and managers.
Supported by the Institut français Nigeria and the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the initiative will provide opportunities for Nigerian artists and industry stakeholders to explore partnerships, international bookings, touring opportunities and co-productions.
The two-day programme will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, industry clinics, business-to-business meetings and one-on-one sessions between Nigerian artists and visiting professionals.
The first day, themed *CONNECT*, will focus on African and global music ecosystems, intellectual property, monetisation and the impact of digital technology on the music business. The second day, themed *CREATE & DEVELOP*, will feature discussions on the European music ecosystem and sessions aimed at fostering professional partnerships.
The Nordic Abuja will host the festival’s showcase performances on November 19 and 20. Seven acts were selected from 75 applications submitted from 26 countries, including four Nigerian performers and artists from the United Kingdom, Benin Republic and Austria.
The festival will also host a four-day residency featuring Togolese musician Papyrus, Beninese artist Pepe Oleka and Abuja-based Pearl Rocker. The trio will collaborate on new material to be presented at the closing concert.
The grand finale will hold on Saturday, November 21, at BALI City Park, Wuse 2, featuring Asuquo and his band, The Salako, Bongos, Chile-born Gustavo Cerqueiras, Greece-based Adedeji and the residency participants.
Speaking ahead of the event, The Salako, founder and festival director, said the festival was expanding its focus beyond live performances to create opportunities for Nigerian musicians to access international markets.
“Abuja is Nigeria’s diplomatic capital, and we believe it should also be a meeting point for African and global music,” he said.
“This year we are not only putting great artists on stage. We are bringing the people who book festivals, run labels and build careers into the same room as our artists.”
Founded in 2021, the festival has developed into a platform combining music, cultural diplomacy and creative-industry development. Its 2025 edition attracted more than 1,000 guests and welcomed diplomats, including ambassadors from Sweden, Switzerland, Austria and Egypt.
The organisers said the 2026 edition would also prioritise sustainability and inclusion through online ticketing and stronger representation of women among performers, speakers and industry professionals.
The festival is organised by Afrojazz Festival Nigeria Limited and seeks to strengthen connections between African musicians, international music markets and touring networks.
