The Lagos State government has promised to always support initiatives that will bring economic prosperity to the state, thereby offering its support to Global Citizen on its Music Economy Development Initiative (MEDI).
Speaking at the ‘Global Citizen Move Afrika’ event held in Victoria Island(VI), Lagos on Tuesday, the State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noted that, Move Afrika is a concert, a movement, and a call to action for global citizens to unite in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from poverty and inequality to climate change and access to education.
He added that, through the power of music and advocacy, Global Citizen is amplifying the voices of the marginalized and empowering communities to take action.
“Today, we add another milestone to our story by hosting Move Afrika, a platform that celebrates our shared humanity and our collective potential to create a better world through partnerships. Let us work together to ensure that every child in Lagos has access to quality education, that every family has access to healthcare, and that our environment is protected for future generations,” he stressed.
While commending Global Citizen for their unwavering commitment to driving change and for choosing Lagos as a key destination for this initiative, he also applauded John Legend, and everyone who made this event possible, promising to offer the State’s support where necessary.
Similarly, the co-founder & CEO, Global Citizen, Hugh Evans, said: “Nigeria has an incredibly rich musical heritage, a well established local entertainment industry, and a cultural influence that reverberates right across the globe. We are honored to have added Nigeria to the Move Afrika tour, and look forward to returning for the years to come.”
Launched in 2023, Move Afrika is a long-term effort to pioneer the international music touring circuit throughout the continent of Africa, with a dedicated focus on driving economic investment, expanding infrastructure and building local capacity within host cities, creating local jobs, generating skill training and youth entrepreneurship opportunities, and showcasing the best of African creative talent to the world.
Additionally, Global Citizen is leveraging this year’s Move Afrika tour to drive a citizen-led advocacy campaign focused on strengthening health systems across Africa.
However, Global Citizen urged African nations to increase domestic health financing, prioritise primary care and sexual and reproductive health and rights, boost global investments in health resilience, and alleviate financial burdens on nations to strengthen public health.
To coincide with ‘Move Afrika: Lagos,’ MEDI was launched to bring together a diverse coalition with the goal of unlocking the economic potential of music across Africa and beyond. MEDI will serve as the definitive source of research and data, highlighting the global economic potential of music, while fostering partnerships that drive policy reform, investment, and collaboration.
The initiative’s launch coincided with the inaugural Music Policy Assembly in Lagos, Nigeria, taking place the day prior to the Move Afrika event. The Assembly brought together experts from across the continent to discuss crucial topics such as copyright, live music, and investment.
The 2025 edition of Move Afrika builds on Global Citizen’s previous campaigns and events across Africa, including the 2023 edition of Move Afrika: Rwanda, headlined by Kendrick Lamar; Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, which featured Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Usher, Eddie Vedder, and Chris Martin of Coldplay in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2018; Global Citizen Live: Lagos, with performances by Davido, Femi Kuti, and Tiwa Savage at Fela Kuti’s New Afrika Shrine in 2021, among others.
