But how do we turn Africa's creativity into influence, opportunity, enterprise, and economic value? MAGIC Johannesburg 2026 is a platform for conversations and ideas about the African creator economy, bringing together leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, producers, strategists, and cultural connectors to explore how content can shape narratives, build communities, grow businesses, and connect Africa to the world. Our program begins with a series of virtual conversations inspired by leadership, culture, entrepreneurship, music, branding, wellness, travel, and storytelling. Together, these perspectives explore how African creators can transform ideas into influence and creativity into opportunity. The day concludes with an in-person creator meet-up in Johannesburg, where conversations can become connections and connections can become collaborations.

INTRODUCING MAGIC JOHANNESBURG 2026

MAGIC is built on the belief that Africa's creator economy can become a powerful driver of cultural influence, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity. By bringing together perspectives from leadership, advertising, music, food, wellness, travel, and content production, MAGIC creates space for conversations that cross traditional industry boundaries. The opportunity is not simply to make more content. It is to build stronger creative businesses, tell more compelling African stories, develop new partnerships, and connect African talent with audiences and opportunities around the world.

MAGIC Johannesburg 2026 is where ideas meet creators, culture meets commerce, and conversations create possibilities.

October 26, 2026. Join the conversation. Help shape what comes next.

WHY MAGIC JOHANNESBURG?

THE VIRTUAL CONVERSATIONS

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1. A Continent's Voice: Leadership, Principles & the Power of Content

Discussion inspired by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and his 2026 address to the United Nations in New York.

Conversation leaders: Stephen Gyasi-Kwaw and Nii Addo

President Mahama's address provides the starting point for a discussion about African leadership, principles, and the power of ideas communicated on a global stage.

Rather than a live appearance by the President, this session examines the content of his address and the themes it raises for African creators: economic development, youth, entrepreneurship, international partnerships, and Africa's place in the world.

Stephen Gyasi-Kwaw and Nii Addo will explore how creators can interpret consequential ideas, make them relevant to their audiences, and transform public discourse into content that informs, inspires, and encourages engagement.

The central question: How can African creators turn important ideas into stories that travel, influence, and create opportunity?

2. The Power of Storytelling: Turning Ideas into Influence

J.B. Burke — Chief Creative Officer | Brand Architect | Creative Strategist

In a world competing for attention, storytelling is a competitive advantage.

J.B. Burke brings a global creative perspective to the relationship between strategy, culture, personal branding, and talent. This conversation explores how creators can develop distinctive voices, build recognizable identities, and turn attention into lasting influence.

The focus is on moving beyond individual pieces of content to create stories, brands, and ideas that resonate with audiences and generate cultural and commercial value.

3. Music Without Borders: Where African and Global Creative Cultures Meet

Manuelita Vélez (Bad Milk) — Colombian Urbano Artist & Songwriter

Music connects cultures, creates communities, and crosses borders in ways few other forms of content can.

From Medellín to international audiences, Manuelita Vélez, known as Bad Milk, brings a perspective shaped by music, urban culture, and digital distribution.

This conversation explores how artists can use digital platforms to build audiences, develop international collaborations, and connect creative cultures.

What happens when African and Latin American artists move beyond consuming one another's content and begin creating together?

The opportunity is to build new sounds, new audiences, and new cultural connections.

4. Food as Storytelling: Culture, Identity & Diplomacy

Bibiana Gyasi — Cultural Connector | Food Diplomacy Advocate

Food is more than nourishment. It carries history, identity, memory, and the stories of a people.

Bibiana Gyasi brings food diplomacy into the creator-economy conversation, exploring the connections between Ghana, South Africa, hospitality, culture, and community.

This session examines how creators and entrepreneurs can use food as a medium for storytelling, cultural exchange, tourism, and international relationships—and how cultural heritage can become both a compelling narrative and an economic opportunity.

Sometimes the most universal story begins at the table.

5. Wellness, Beauty & the Business of Self-Expression

Suad Abdel-Rahman — Founder, Lustre Labs | Wellness, Beauty & Movement Entrepreneur

Wellness and beauty are increasingly important spaces for entrepreneurs building businesses around identity, lifestyle, sustainability, and self-care.

Through Lustre Labs, Suad Abdel-Rahman brings together natural beauty, movement, wellness, and community.

This conversation explores how creators can help emerging brands build trust, communicate their values, and connect personal passion with commercial opportunity.

It also considers the potential for African entrepreneurs to develop distinctive brands that reflect local perspectives while connecting with wider markets.

6. Connecting a Continent: Travel, Loyalty & the Movement of People

Mogolo Mokgosi — Sales Manager | Air Botswana

Africa's future depends not only on ideas moving across borders, but also on people moving across borders.

Mogolo Mokgosi brings the perspective of aviation, travel, customer experience, and loyalty to the MAGIC conversation.

This session explores how travel connects markets, enables cultural exchange, supports tourism, and creates opportunities for businesses and creators.

As audiences and communities become more interconnected, how can the travel ecosystem help turn movement into meaningful experiences, stronger relationships, and new economic possibilities?

7. From Content to Connection: Producing Stories That Matter

Richard Yaw Frimpong-Manso — Senior Content Producer | Universal Admedia

Content is central to how brands communicate, communities form, and culture travels.

Richard Yaw Frimpong-Manso represents a generation of African content producers working at the intersection of storytelling, branding, digital media, and visual communication.

This conversation examines the craft and strategy behind effective content: understanding audiences, translating ideas into visual narratives, and creating work that connects meaningfully with people.

It also explores the growing opportunities for African producers to build distinctive creative practices and contribute to a global appetite for compelling African stories.

THE MAGIC CREATOR MEET-UP

From Conversations to Connections”

Monday, October 26, 2026 | 8:00 PM

Venue: Radisson Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa

Format: In-person networking | Cash bar

When the virtual conversations end, the connections begin.

Join fellow creators, entrepreneurs, artists, producers, and creative-industry professionals for an informal evening of networking at the Radisson Hotel in Johannesburg.

The MAGIC Creator Meet-Up is an opportunity to exchange ideas, discover potential collaborators, share experiences, and begin relationships that can lead to new creative projects, partnerships, and business opportunities.

Whether you are an established creator, an emerging talent, an entrepreneur, or a brand looking to connect with Africa's creative community, this is your opportunity to become part of the conversation.

Come with your ideas. Bring your curiosity. Leave room for the unexpected.

Meet. Connect. Collaborate. Create.

RSVP FOR MAGIC JOHANNESBURG 2026 CREATOR MEET - UP

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