By Shadrack Nyakoe
Global Citizen announced the expansion of its pan-African music tour, Move Afrika, to West Africa. Lagos, Nigeria, joins Kigali, Rwanda, as host cities for the 2025 edition. International music icon John Legend will headline the tour, which aims to drive economic investment, job creation, and skills development in Africa’s creative industries.
The tour kicks off in Kigali at the BK Arena on February 21, 2025, before moving to Lagos at The Palms on February 25, 2025. This marks the first time the tour will span both East and West Africa.
Move Afrika is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to transform Africa’s entertainment landscape by creating a sustainable music touring circuit. The initiative aims to boost economic growth, generate employment opportunities, and support local entrepreneurship.
It showcases African talent while hosting global stars, attracting international and regional artists to perform in Africa.
The tour is committed to community impact. It will engage local artists, vendors, agencies, and production crews, creating pathways for training and skill development.
The goal is to position African cities as entertainment hubs and nurture a self-sustaining ecosystem for Africa’s creative economy.
Beyond music, the 2025 tour will spotlight Africa’s health sector.
Global Citizen aims to use the concerts for citizen-led advocacy, urging African nations to increase domestic health financing and support sexual and reproductive health rights.
A limited number of tickets are available for purchase via moveafrika.org. Details on earning free tickets through Global Citizen’s advocacy campaigns will be announced soon.
John Legend expressed his excitement about being part of the movement.
“I’m honored to perform in Kigali and Lagos…an initiative that creates entrepreneurship and job opportunities,” said Legend.
Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans praised the expansion, emphasizing its potential to redefine Africa’s role in the global music industry. Rwanda Development Board CEO Francis Gatare echoed this sentiment.
Move Afrika builds on the success of its debut edition in Rwanda in December 2023, headlined by Kendrick Lamar.
The event employed over 1,000 Rwandans and featured performances from African stars.
The success prompted Global Citizen to expand the tour to Nigeria.
Move Afrika is part of Global Citizen’s legacy of live music events across Africa, which have featured some of the world’s most renowned artists.
The 2025 edition of Move Afrika aims to set new standards for live music and entertainment on the continent. With Lagos and Kigali leading the charge, Move Afrika’s expansion promises to reshape the live entertainment experience for Africa.
