Afro Nation’s concert cancellation and its implication for Nigeria

Organisers of Afro Nation, on Tuesday, announced the cancellation of the Afrobeats festival scheduled to be held in Lagos at Tafawa Belewa Square this December.

Afro Nation is an annual three-day music festival produced by Live Nation, Event Horizon, Smade Entertainment, and Memories of Tomorrow.

The organisers, however released a statement via their X account, expressing disappointment that the planned show had been cancelled.

“Unfortunately, the Afro Nation Nigeria festival in Lagos will now not be taking place. As event organisers, we hold ourselves to extremely high standards, and it has become clear to us that it is currently not possible to deliver a show that is of the quality that Nigeria deserves in December 2023.

“We are honoured to play our part in the Afrobeats community. providing a platform for artists to connect with fans and to create events that have a positive impact on the culture globally, as well as launching the Afrobeats chart in the US and the UK. We have put on incredible shows in Portugal, Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami, and Detroit, but Nigeria holds a special place in our hearts, so we are heartbroken not to be able to celebrate with you this year.

“Please know, we are 108% committed to creating an Afro Nation show in Lagos that we can all be proud of.

“We know that you are as disappointed as we are and to all those who have purchased tickets, we love you and thank you for supporting us on this journey.

We will refund all tickets including booking fees. Ticket buyers do not need to do anything but will receive an email with information outlining the refund process. We will see you again soon.”the statement reads.

Meanwhile, the cancellation of this event is a is a huge setback for the Nigerian entertainment industry as the debut concert was anticipated to generate revenue into the economy this December.

Significantly, Live events, Festivals and music concerts have long been recognized as potential drivers of economic growth and development, with focus on diversification and modernization of the local economy.

The event, set to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square, with a capacity of 55,000, had an impressive artist lineup, including Burna Boy, Flavour, Seyi Vibez, Black Sherif, and J Hus and others.

The main point behind their decision according to the organizers, was based on their commitment to high standards and delivering an event Nigeria deserves.

9news Entertainment.