Make Music Lagos Unveils 2026 World Music Day Celebration in Partnership with French Cultural Partners
Lagos is set to light up June 21 as Make Music Lagos announces its 2026 World Music Day (Fête de la Musique) program, a collaboration with Alliance Française de Lagos and the French Embassy in Nigeria.
The 2026 edition follows a decade of annual celebrations that have positioned Make Music Lagos as a key platform for live performance, music education and artist development in Nigeria. Since its launch in 2016 as part of the global Make Music Day movement, the organisation has built a reputation for creating spaces where musicians, industry professionals and audiences can interact.
The program opens on June 12 with a Songwriters’ Workshop, and on June 18 it hosts a full day of industry programming that includes the Music Business Conference, an album listening party and catalogue review sessions. The climax arrives on June 21 with the flagship Shutdown Concert, Lagos’ flagship public music event.
The 2026 line‑up features prominent Nigerian acts such as Johnny Drille, Made Kuti, The Cavemen, Rotimi Keys, Dotti the Deity and Ifé, alongside emerging performers from across the country. Earlier in the year, Make Music Lagos launched a Battle of the Bands competition to spotlight live‑performance talent. The African Folk Band, TÈMÍDÙN and The Royal Bards were named the top three finalists and will return to compete in the grand finale at the Shutdown Concert.
According to the organisation’s director, Adeola Akinyemi, “Make Music Lagos continues to serve as a platform where creativity, community and opportunity intersect. Every year, we create spaces for artists to be discovered, for audiences to experience music in new ways and for industry stakeholders to come together in meaningful conversation.” Margaux Demeersseman, Regional Music Attachée for the French Embassy, added that the partnership “shares a common vision of bringing to life initiatives that are truly transformative for the music sector.” Alliance Française de Lagos director Marc Brébant noted that the event “encourages participation, artistic expression and cultural exchange, while bringing people together through the shared experience of music.”
The 2025 Shutdown Concert attracted more than 5,000 attendees and featured performances by MI Abaga, Johnny Drille, Chike and Gaise Baba, underscoring the event’s growing importance in Lagos’ music calendar. Support for the 2026 celebration comes from a range of partners, including Showgear Nigeria, the Creative Industries Initiative for Africa (CIIFA), Lekan Bamidele and Co, media partners and the wider creative community. These collaborations aim to strengthen live music culture, support emerging talent and deepen public engagement with music across Lagos.
With the schedule confirmed and a strong roster of performers announced, the 2026 World Music Day celebration is set to reinforce Lagos’ position as a vibrant hub for music creation and community engagement. The event will continue the tradition of free, inclusive music participation that characterises the global Fête de la Musique movement.
