In the summer of 2019, a beach town in southern Portugal filled with fans from London, Lagos, Accra, Paris and New York. They had come for Afro Nation, a new festival built entirely around Afrobeats, dancehall, amapiano and African hip hop. The line-up read like a who’s who of the genre. Within months, the festival had staged an edition in Ghana, and Afrobeats had a festival brand of its own.
Founders, Portugal and Ghana
Afro Nation was co-founded by music promoters with long experience in African and diaspora events, including Smade and Obi Asika. The first edition was held in Portimão, on Portugal’s Algarve coast, in 2019. Its beach setting and summer timing attracted fans from across Europe. Headliners included many of the biggest names in African music, such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido and others, alongside Caribbean and British artists.
In December 2019, Afro Nation held an edition at Laboma Beach near Accra, during Ghana’s Year of Return celebrations.
Pandemic, expansion and criticism
COVID-19 forced the cancellation of 2020 editions, but the festival returned once restrictions eased. The brand later held events in other countries, including the United States, building on the global rise of Afrobeats. Many fans are members of the African diaspora who see the festival as a celebration of identity and culture. Some editions faced complaints about organisation, crowd management and ticket prices.
The festival brought tourists and spending to host cities. Afro Nation is one sign of how far African music has travelled since the 2010s. Similar festivals and concert series have emerged in London, Paris and African cities.
The Ghana edition and tickets
The Ghana edition at Laboma Beach coincided with Ghana’s Year of Return, a campaign inviting people of African descent to visit. Many fans combined the festival with tours of the country, making December 2019 one of the busiest holiday seasons Accra had seen. Fans describe the festival as a celebration as much as a concert, with fashion, food and flags from across Africa and the Caribbean.
Tickets often sell out months in advance. A decade earlier, Afrobeats fans in Europe had to wait for occasional club nights. Afro Nation gave them a beach, a weekend and a line-up built entirely around their music.
