Algeria’s Intra‑African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) isn’t just about commerce and trade—it’s also serving up rich cultural experiences, and The Mansa Orchestra Live!, under the direction of master storyteller Chief Moomen, has become one of its signature highlights. The show, rooted in “Mansa Musa and the Trail of Lost Gold,” offers a powerful blend of West African history, griot tradition, music, dance, and theatrical pageantry. 🔗 Afreximbank
Held on the final evening of IATF 2025 at the SAFEX Conference Village in Algiers, the production was a breathtaking journey into the legacy of Mansa Musa, the famed emperor of Mali, whose reign symbolized Africa’s historic wealth, cultural sophistication, and spiritual power. From live drumming to immersive storytelling, the production turned the trade fair into a stage of African pride and narrative reclamation.
🌍 Pan-African Artistry Backed by Visionaries
Promoted by Oakwood Green Africa, the show marked more than a performance—it was a declaration of the importance of Africa’s creative economy.
“Africa’s story is our strength. At Oakwood Green, we believe in using culture as both a compass and a catalyst. The Mansa production is not just entertainment—it’s investment in identity,” said Gabriel Edgal, CEO of Oakwood Green Africa.
Oakwood Green’s strategic backing of The Mansa Orchestra ties into their broader mission of integrating the creative sector into Africa’s development and trade ecosystem—particularly through platforms like CANEX, the Creative Africa Nexus programme spearheaded by Afreximbank.
🏛️ Presidential Applause from Afreximbank
In attendance at the event was Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank, who lauded the production and reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to Africa’s creative industries.
“The Mansa Orchestra is a spectacular expression of Africa’s intellectual and artistic capital. At Afreximbank, we will continue to support projects that amplify Africa’s voice globally,” said Prof. Oramah.
His remarks underscore the strategic importance of storytelling and the arts in Africa’s economic diplomacy and soft power.
👏 A Show That Transcended Performance
The audience—comprising dignitaries, creatives, investors, and delegates from across the continent—rose to their feet at the final curtain, giving Chief Moomen and his cast a long standing ovation. The show’s success wasn’t just in its grandeur, but in its emotional resonance. It connected past to present, royalty to responsibility, and history to possibility.
The teaser performance also set the stage for a continent-wide cultural tour in 2026, with stops planned in Accra, Kigali, Nairobi, Cairo, and Johannesburg, among others.
“This is just the beginning,” Chief Moomen shared after the show. “The full story of Mansa Musa will unfold in the coming months—and we invite the whole of Africa to journey with us.”
🧭 What It Means for Africa’s Creative Economy
The Mansa production isn’t just a spectacle—it’s a model. A model for how strategic investment in African creativity can yield both cultural and commercial returns. Through platforms like CANEX and visionary partnerships like that of Oakwood Green Africa and Afreximbank, the groundwork is being laid for a creative renaissance on the continent.
As Africa looks to boost intra-continental trade, develop digital platforms, and leverage its demographic dividend, the creative economy is fast becoming a pillar of 21st-century growth.
