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By Doris Obinna
Africa’s first recycling-focused arts and culture festival is set to debut in Lagos as NMO Management and PR launches the inaugural Artistic Pulse Festival (#APF), scheduled for December 3 to 7, 2025, at the historic Remembrance Arcade, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).
The iconic site of Nigeria’s 1960 independence celebrations will be transformed into a five-day showcase of creativity, commerce, and eco-innovation under the theme “Footprints of Interconnectivity, Growth and Expansion.”
Billed as a pioneering blend of sustainability and the continent’s creative economy, the festival integrates music, fashion, Nollywood, food, art, and technology while advancing recycling and environmental responsibility. Organisers say the initiative aims to highlight Nigeria’s cultural vibrancy alongside a strong commitment to greener practices within the creative industries.
The programme, the organisers disclosed, will feature symposiums, debates, children’s activities, an art gallery, creative workshops, a play zone, and the Artistic Pulse Festival Trade Fair, a platform designed to connect creators, small businesses, and consumers.
A major highlight is the pan-African 11th annual Music Fashion Runway (#MFR), regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading fashion showcases, taking place on December 6 at the Naval Dockyard. The runway is expected to bring together contemporary African designers, international models, and live musical performances.
Adding international appeal, organisers have confirmed that global recording star and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks will headline the celebrations with a live performance. The festival will also host the Game Changer Africa Acknowledgement (#GCAA) awards, recognising industry innovators, as well as the Golden Break Through (GBT) Auditions, a youth-driven model search for 2025.
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NMO Management Ltd and Vice Chair of NACCIMA Creative Economy Trade Group Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Omambala, said the festival’s ambition is to unify key sectors of the creative economy while promoting sustainable business practices.
“We are excited to announce and host the inaugural ARTISTIC PULSE FESTIVAL (#APF), Africa’s first Sustainable Recycling Festival,” she said. “Our mission is to integrate the pillars of the creative industries at Remembrance Arcade TBS while supporting SMEs and fostering commerce, innovation and productivity.”
The initiative has received backing from several public and private institutions, including the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
A central pillar of the event is its commitment to maintaining a waste-free environment. NMO Management confirmed that Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited and recycling partner RecyclePoints will deploy collection stations throughout the venue across the five days to ensure all plastic waste is gathered and processed for recycling, setting a new standard for eco-conscious large-scale events in Africa.
The festival will be livestreamed on NMO Management’s social media platforms, offering global audiences access to one of the continent’s most ambitious cultural and sustainability-driven events.
