Africa Media Festival (AMF), the continent’s flagship convening for media leaders, journalists, creators, policymakers, and innovators, will take place in Nairobi on 25–26 February 2026. Returning at a decisive moment for African media, the festival will bring together voices from across the continent to engage with urgent questions around press freedom, economic survival, and the future of storytelling.
Organized by Baraza Media Lab, AMF 2026 is positioned as a practical, outcomes-focused gathering rather than a traditional conference. It will connect African and global stakeholders to openly examine the pressures reshaping journalism today, including shrinking business models, political constraints, rapid technological change, artificial intelligence, and the expanding creator economy.
Guided by the theme “Resilient Storytelling: Reimagining Media Freedom,” the festival will emphasize workable ideas and collaborative approaches aimed at strengthening independent, adaptable, and credible African media within a fast-evolving global information environment.
“AMF is not about formality or symbolism. It is a working space where media leaders confront uncomfortable realities, experiment with new thinking, and jointly build solutions that can sustain journalism and creative expression into the future,” said Martie Mtange, Curator at Baraza Media Lab.
A major feature of AMF 2026 will be the Africa Media Awards (AMA), a pan-African, independent initiative recognizing outstanding journalism and creative influence.
The 2026 awards will introduce the Creator for Good Award, reflecting the growing role of digital creators in shaping narratives and advancing social impact across the continent.
The AMA, which celebrates brave reporting and long-term commitment to journalistic excellence, is a joint initiative of Baraza Media Lab, the Africa Editors Forum, and Journalists for Human Rights. By honoring work that questions authority, promotes human rights, and rethinks the media’s place in society, the awards reinforce AMF’s standing as Africa’s leading media convention.
AMF 2026 has already confirmed more than 20 speakers and is expected to welcome over 300 participants from across Africa. Among the confirmed speakers are Will Church, Director of Media Freedom at Thomson Reuters (UK); Joy Lusige, Video Journalist and Producer at ZDF German Television (Kenya); and Francesca Ekondaho, Program Coordinator for Outreach in Africa at the Pulitzer Center (Rwanda).
Shaping the festival’s wide-ranging discussions on media freedom, sustainability, innovation, policy, and the future of creators will also be Anita Eboigbe, Chief Operations Officer at Big Cabal Media (Nigeria), and Dr. Zippy Okoth, Chair of the Department of Performing Arts, Film and Media Studies at KCA University, as well as an award-winning film producer and gender consultant.
What began as a regional pilot in 2023 has steadily grown into Africa’s most significant gathering for media and creative professionals. The 2025 edition brought together participants from more than 26 countries and featured 200 speakers, underscoring AMF’s expanding reach and influence across the continent.
