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Olugbemi. Adeyinka Ogunleye
1 week ago
Overview
Darey Art Alade Pushing for a Vibrant Creative Economy
As Nigeria’s festival scene evolves into a more structured and investment-driven economy, Darey Art-Alade, the entertainer-turned-creative executive is positioning himself at the centre of that shift, designing an ecosystem that links audiences, creators and
capital across continents. Vanessa Obioha writes
The year 2019 arguably marked a turning point for Nigeria’s entertainment industry. The scene was surging, particularly in December, when Lagos became a relentless circuit of festivals, concerts, exhibitions and fashion shows, leaving little room to catch one’s breath. What would later be christened Detty December was already taking shape, drawing Nigerians and Africans in the diaspora back home, mostly to Lagos, for a season of spectacle and indulgence.
At the same time, Nigerian music’s global appeal was accelerating, with the world beginning to embrace what is now widely known as Afrobeats. Entertainers recognised the rise of a lucrative live entertainment economy, and corporate organisations quickly aligned with it. Access Bank, for instance, sponsored the Born in Africa Festival (BAFEST), executed by Livespot360, the creative agency run by Darey Art Alade and his wife, Deola. The company also delivered one of the most talked-about events of the year, Livespot X Festival, headlined by Cardi B. It marked the rapper’s first visit to Nigeria, drawing an estimated 60,000 attendees to the sandy grounds of Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island, Lagos.
More: https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/04/12/darey-art-alade-pushing-for-a-vibrant-creative-economy/
