Benin will host the third edition of the Francophone African Music Industries Fair (SIMA) in Cotonou on November 12-13, with a focus on converting African music‘s global visibility into jobs, investment and export earnings.
The event, branded SIMA 2026, will gather artists, producers, investors, policymakers and international industry players under the theme “African Music: From the Stage to Global Influence.”
Organisers say the programme will move beyond celebrating musical success to examine how African creators and businesses can capture more of the economic value generated by rising international demand for African music.
“African music is no longer simply a cultural phenomenon: it has become a force of influence. Our challenge now is to transform this influence into sustainable economic power,” said SIMA co-founder Mamby Diomandé.
“SIMA aims to build connections between creators, investors, institutions and markets so that the international visibility of our talents translates into measurable data, content monetization, economic opportunities, jobs and value creation for the continent.”
