By: Mainstack Global
The Moment Conference brought together creators, policymakers, and industry leaders across six content tracks to advance the African creator economy
Lagos, Nigeria — March 25, 2026 — Mainstack, the global social commerce platform empowering creators to sell and get paid in over 135 currencies, wrapped up its flagship Moment Conference on Saturday, the 15th, making history as the largest gathering of creators on the African continent.
Over 4,000 creators attended the event at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, from March 13 to 15, 2026. It featured more than 50 speakers across three simultaneous stages and six content tracks covering storytelling, music, film, gaming, design, finance, policy, and entrepreneurship.
A Stage Built for Africa’s Creator Class
The conference opened on the evening of March 13 with a Creator Mixer, an informal gathering designed to spark connections before the main programming began.
The following day brought the full conference, with three stages running concurrently across Landmark’s main halls. Sessions ranged from cross-border payments and creator investment to the business of comedy, podcast monetization, and how African films and stories are shaping global cinema.
Notable speakers included award-winning musician and entrepreneur D’banj, hip-hop pioneer and TASCK Nigeria CEO M.I Abaga, and Oluwatosin Olaseinde, founder of personal finance platform MoneyAfrica.
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, H.E. Hannatu Musawa, and Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, were also included in the lineup of speakers for the event. Their representation reflects a growing alignment between the Nigerian government and the creator economy.
Among the sessions, a fireside conversation explored the intersection of music and business monetization, while a separate panel examined Africa’s first $500,000 creator investment fund.
“The African creator economy is no longer a regional story with small players going about their business in tiny corners of the continent. In more ways than one, it is ready for the global stage, and the Moment Conference with 4,000 people in one room is our clearest demonstration of that,” said Ayobami Oyaleke, CEO of Mainstack.
Grants, Awards, and Recognition
During the event, Moment 2026 awarded a $3,000 creator grant to Alexander Emmanuel, a filmmaker and emerging director, as part of the event’s commitment to backing the next generation of African creative talent.
The conference closed on March 15 with the Moment Awards night, a black-tie celebration dedicated to recognizing creators who are making an impact across different categories.
Mavin Records, the Lagos-based label home to global acts Rema and Ayra Starr, took home the Agency/Collective of the Year Award. The Creator for Social Impact Award, a category that drew over 100,000 public votes, went to Angella Summer Namubiru.
“The conversation about Africa’s creator economy has shifted,” said Milton Tutu, CMO of Mainstack. “We are no longer talking about potential; we are talking about scale, infrastructure, and what it takes to sustain it. Moment exists to push that conversation forward, and what happened in Lagos this month made the case better than any report could.”
Leadership and What’s Next
Moment 2026 also marked the public introduction of Milton Tutu as Mainstack’s Chief Marketing Officer. Milton brings a wealth of experience in brand strategy, growth marketing, and the African creator economy. In his new role, Milton will lead Mainstack’s global marketing function, overseeing brand, communications, demand generation, and GTM strategy.
The event also saw Mainstack unveil Mainstack V4, the next major evolution of its platform, with a full launch expected in Q2 2026. V4 represents a significant step forward in how creators build and manage their businesses on Mainstack. Among other things, it would include a reimagined storefront, a community feature built to serve creators in ways they actually need, and a host of other features.
“Mainstack Version 4 is the product we have been working toward,” said Oyaleke. “Everything we have learned from our creators, how they earn, how they grow, what slows them down, is built into this. When it launches, it will change what creators expect from a commerce platform.”
Sponsors and Partners
Moment 2026 was supported by platinum sponsor Grey, gold sponsor Busha, and supporting partners Twitch, Zap, Rode, and Credit Direct. Media partners included TechCabal and Pulse, among others.
About Mainstack
Mainstack is a global commerce platform that empowers creators and digital entrepreneurs to create, sell, and get paid in over 135 currencies. Trusted by thousands of creators and businesses across the world, Mainstack is built to make building and managing a creator business simple.
Learn more at mainstack.com.
Media Contact: David Williams, Media and Partnerships Lead | david.williams@mainstack.com
