Ahead of the 11th edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive), industry stakeholders and guests gathered on Tuesday, November 10, for an intimate dinner and whisky-tasting experience hosted by NECLive in association with The Macallan. The evening brought together voices from across Nigeria’s entertainment and creative industries for an opportunity to connect, exchange perspectives and look forward to the conversations that will shape this year’s conference.
Held ahead of the main conference on Thursday, November 12, the NECLive x The Macallan Dinner brought together an impressive mix of industry professionals, including Diran Olojo, Group Head, Corporate Affairs at First City Monument Bank; Dayo Fagade, Director of Global Sales and Business Development; Ayo Animashaun, Founder of The Headies and HipTV; Deji Awokoya, General Manager, The Beat 99.9FM and Classic FM; Kelvin Orifa, Nigerian marketing strategist, entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of EMBlue; Uzoamaka Power; Chimezie Imo; Motolani Alake, Marketing, Commercial and Business Development, Africa at Virgin Music Group; Hammed Adebiyi, Senior Brand Manager for Edrington’s portfolio; Ayeni Adekunle, Convener of NECLive and Group Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair of BHM Holdings; Njideka Akabogu, Managing Director, ID Africa; Iretomiwa Akintunde-Johnson, Managing Director, BHM and many more.
Beyond the dining experience and whisky tasting, the gathering offered a moment to consider the role of creativity in shaping Africa’s global influence and the importance of building an industry capable of competing on the world stage.
Speaking at the dinner, the Convener of NECLive and Founder of BHM Holdings, Ayeni Adekunle, raised a toast to the next generation of creative practitioners, highlighting the importance of fresh perspectives, new talent and the possibilities ahead for Africa’s creative economy.
Calling for a toast to youth, freshness and the power of possibilities, Ayeni Adekunle expressed his belief in Africa’s capacity to produce the ideas, people and products that would shape the future.
He said, “I believe very firmly that the ideas, the people and the products that will shape the world will come from Africa. We have an unbelievable opportunity to shape how the world thinks about Nigeria and Africa through the power of entertainment. But we must also focus on extracting the maximum possible value from our creative industries.”
His remarks reflected a central focus of NECLive 2026: moving beyond the global recognition of African creativity to building an industry that can translate its influence into sustainable economic value.
This year’s conference, themed “Home Advantage: Transforming Local Demand into Global Power,” will examine how Nigeria can leverage its cultural influence, growing audience base and creative talent to strengthen its position in the global entertainment economy. It will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, investors, creatives and other stakeholders to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the sector..
For The Macallan, its sponsorship of NECLive reflects an engagement with Nigeria’s evolving creative and cultural landscape. The brand’s support for the conference and its association with the pre-event dinner also provided an opportunity to engage with the people, ideas and creative expressions shaping contemporary culture.
The dinner also reflected the conversations and expectations surrounding NECLive 2026, with guests highlighting the importance of meaningful discussions, fresh industry insights, valuable connections and opportunities to advance the creative sector. These perspectives speak to the wider ambition of creating spaces where industry stakeholders can exchange ideas and explore new possibilities for growth
The question is not simply how far Nigerian creativity can travel, but how much value the industry can build from its strength at home.