Signage at Global Citizen’s Move Afrika: Kigali event held at BK Arena on February 21, 2025, Kigali, Rwanda. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen).
On September 29, 2012, Central Park in New York City became the epicenter for over 60,000 attendees at the inaugural Global Citizen Festival. This groundbreaking event introduced a unique approach where fans earned complimentary entry by engaging in social activism-actions like signing petitions and spreading awareness to fight poverty. Music lovers enjoyed performances from renowned artists such as Neil Young, The Black Keys, K’Naan, and John Legend. The festival’s innovative model successfully mobilized over $1.3 billion in pledges aimed at eradicating extreme poverty, malaria, and polio, setting the stage for Global Citizen’s ongoing mission to harness music as a force for social transformation.
Recognizing music’s power to inspire change globally, Global Citizen quickly expanded its vision to include Africa’s vibrant music scene. African musicians became integral to the organization’s initiatives, bridging the continent’s rich sounds with a worldwide audience and elevating African talent alongside international superstars.
Iphie Chuks-Adizue, Global Citizen’s Africa Managing Director, reflects on this evolution: “Global Citizen has propelled African music from a regional phenomenon to a global powerhouse, turning local artists into internationally recognized icons and positioning Africa as a key influencer in global pop culture rather than just a participant.”
For more than ten years, Global Citizen has championed African artists on the world stage. From K’Naan’s performance at the first festival in New York to the historic Mandela 100 Festival in Johannesburg in 2018, and the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra, African performers have shared the spotlight with global icons like Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, SZA, and Usher. Stars such as Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Stonebwoy, Davido, and Sarkodie have stood alongside these legends, showcasing Africa’s musical prowess.
Iphie Chuks-Adizue, Africa Managing Director at Global Citizen
These landmark events have compelled festival organizers, promoters, and record labels to recognize African artists as headline-worthy talents capable of drawing vast audiences and trending on a global scale. This increased exposure has also reshaped how the world views Africa, with genres like Afrobeats and Amapiano evolving from niche styles to dominant forces in mainstream music, energizing clubs, festivals, and charts internationally.
Echoing the spirit of the 2012 festival, this weekend’s Global Citizen Festival in New York will spotlight African stars Ayra Starr and Tyla alongside global icons such as Cardi B, The Weeknd, and Shakira. According to Iphie, this lineup exemplifies true equity, positioning two young African women not merely as participants but as leading figures on one of the world’s most prominent stages. It signals a shift where African women are not just entering the global music scene-they are shaping its future.
In 2023, Global Citizen introduced Move Afrika, a pioneering international music tour dedicated to Africa’s creative landscape. The debut event, Move Afrika: Rwanda, featured headliner Kendrick Lamar alongside Rwandan star Bruce Melodie and Tanzanian singer Zuchu. The tour’s second edition saw John Legend headline shows in Lagos and Kigali, with Nigerian talents Simi and DJ Consequence performing in Lagos, and Rwandan artists Bwiza and DJ TOXXYK taking the stage in Kigali.
Move Afrika is more than a concert series; it’s a strategic initiative aimed at fostering a sustainable ecosystem for African artists and economies. By driving investments, enhancing infrastructure, and building local expertise, the project supports economic growth and youth entrepreneurship in host cities. Since its inception, the tour has generated over 2,500 jobs in Lagos and Kigali, with more than 90% of production crews hired locally. The ambitious goal is to create upwards of 100,000 jobs by 2028.
John Legend performing at Global Citizen’s Move Afrika: Kigali event at BK Arena on February 21, 2025, Kigali, Rwanda. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen).
Looking ahead, Global Citizen aims to strengthen partnerships with governments to co-fund infrastructure projects, elevate live event production quality, and advocate for policies that simplify touring across Africa. The organization plans to expand Move Afrika progressively, adding new countries while reinforcing its dedication to nurturing local artists, vendors, and audiences. After successful shows in Rwanda and Nigeria, the tour intends to revisit these markets and introduce a third country to its itinerary.
“By 2028, our vision is to host annual concerts in five cities, fully produced by skilled African professionals, igniting sustained economic growth and creative empowerment,” Iphie explains. “Move Afrika’s mission extends beyond staging exceptional performances; it’s about cultivating a resilient creative economy. This includes increasing African curators’ influence in decision-making roles, ensuring ongoing inclusion beyond isolated ‘Africa-themed’ events, and investing in essential infrastructure like touring support systems.”
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