The Akwaba African Diaspora Festival brings its transformative mission to the United States from September 15-19, 2025, marking a pivotal moment for Black communities to strengthen cultural and economic ties between the continent and America.
What is Akwaba?
Akwaba, meaning “welcome” in the Akan language, embodies the essence of this groundbreaking festival that launched in 2025. The brainchild of Moussa KONE, a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow and Founder of Update Consulting International, Akwaba represents a strategic platform for economic empowerment and cross-continental collaboration.
The festival’s origins trace back to KONE’s extensive work leading business delegations between West Africa and the United States. Building on years of fostering entrepreneur connections, the inaugural Akwaba African Diaspora Festival took place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire from May 29 to June 3, 2025, in partnership with Beaulia ONG, the FAMO Foundation, and the Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire to the United States.
“Akwaba signifying ‘welcome’ in Akan, embodies the essence of this festival. Our ambition is to create a platform that strengthens ties between the United States and African nations, facilitating business, commerce, travel, and cultural exchanges,” explains the festival’s mission statement.
When and Where Is Akwaba 2025 Happening?
The second installment of the Akwaba initiative brings together a dynamic cohort of entrepreneurs and business leaders from across West Africa to American soil. Set to take place across multiple U.S. cities from September 15–19, 2025, the mission is designed to strengthen economic ties between Africa and the United States by fostering high-impact connections with American entrepreneurs, investors, and financial institutions.
The USA edition represents a significant expansion from the Abidjan launch, with Washington D.C. serving as a primary hub for the festivities. The festival runs from September 14-21 in the nation’s capital, hosting business leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, and members of the African diaspora for a week of engagement, collaboration, and celebration.
This multi-city approach reflects the festival’s ambitious scope to create lasting impact across American metropolitan areas with significant African diaspora populations, positioning the initiative as a vital platform for cross-continental collaboration, investment facilitation, and long-term sustainable business development.
What Can You Expect at Akwaba 2025?
The Akwaba festival showcases the full spectrum of African diaspora creativity, featuring artists, designers, vendors, and cultural performances that highlight the continent’s diverse traditions. The programming emphasizes music, food, fashion, and marketplace experiences that bring together traditional elements with contemporary innovation.
Cultural programming includes live performances celebrating various African musical traditions, from West African drumming to contemporary Afrobeats. Fashion shows highlight both traditional textiles and modern African design, while food vendors offer authentic cuisines representing the continent’s culinary diversity. The marketplace component provides a platform for African artisans and entrepreneurs to showcase their crafts, creating economic opportunities alongside cultural celebration.
Source: 2024 Akwaaba Festival launched, returns in March – MyJoyOnline
The festival’s commitment to cultural authenticity while embracing modern expression reflects its broader mission of bridging heritage with contemporary African innovation and entrepreneurship.
What are the Business and Investment Opportunities in Akwaba 2025?
At its core, Akwaba serves as a vital platform for cross-continental collaboration, investment facilitation, and long-term sustainable business development. The festival’s economic mission focuses on connecting West African entrepreneurs with American investors and financial institutions, creating opportunities for meaningful business partnerships.
The business programming includes entrepreneur delegations, investor meetups, and diaspora investment panels designed to facilitate high-impact connections. These sessions provide structured networking opportunities where African business leaders can present their ventures to American investors, while diaspora entrepreneurs can explore opportunities for expanding into African markets.
KONE’s leadership as a Mandela Washington Fellow brings credibility and strategic vision to these economic initiatives, leveraging his experience in leading previous business delegations to create sustainable pathways for African-American economic collaboration.
Practical Information for Attendees
For those planning to participate in Akwaba programming, Washington D.C. serves as the primary location for the USA edition festivities from September 14-21, 2025.
For Philadelphia-area visitors, recommended neighborhoods for accommodations include University City, Center City, and West Philadelphia, which offer convenient access to cultural venues and transportation. The city’s extensive SEPTA public transit system provides easy access to festival venues, while 30th Street Station offers convenient Amtrak connections for regional travelers.
Visitors should check official festival websites for updated ticket information, accessibility details, and specific programming schedules. The proximity of multiple African cultural events in the region during late summer and early fall creates opportunities for extended cultural immersion experiences.
Source: https://akwabafestival.com/usa-edition-2025/
Why Should African Diaspora Communities Care About Akwaba?
The Akwaba African Diaspora Festival represents a movement toward strengthened cultural exchange, enhanced business ties, and expanded travel and tourism connections between Africa and the United States. For African and African American communities, the festival offers tangible opportunities to engage with the continent’s economic growth while celebrating shared cultural heritage.
The initiative’s focus on sustainable business development addresses real needs in both African and American markets, creating pathways for diaspora investment that can drive economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic. By combining cultural celebration with serious business networking, Akwaba pioneered a model that recognizes culture as both heritage and economic asset.
As the festival continues to expand its American presence, it promises to deepen connections between diaspora communities and the continent, fostering the kind of meaningful exchanges that can transform both individual opportunities and broader economic relationships between Africa and America.
Anand Subramanian is a freelance photographer and content writer based out of Tamil Nadu, India. Having a background in Engineering always made him curious about life on the other side of the spectrum. He leapt forward towards the Photography life and never looked back. Specializing in Documentary and Portrait photography gave him an up-close and personal view into the complexities of human beings and those experiences helped him branch out from visual to words. Today he is mentoring passionate photographers and writing about the different dimensions of the art world.
