Ake Festival Heads to Lagos in November With AI, African Knowledge and 24 Events

The 14th Ake Arts and Book Festival will hold from November 19 to 21, 2026, at SilKwood Hotel in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. This year’s theme, “Native Intelligence,” will explore African knowledge systems, creativity and the growing influence of artificial intelligence. The three-day festival will feature 24 events, including book chats, panel discussions, poetry, music, film screenings and the Palmwine and Poetry evening. Writers expected include A. Igoni Barrett, Chika Unigwe, Nnamdi Ehirim, Rukiyatu Brume, Nnedi Okorafor and Wole Talabi. Highlights include a concert by Savvy Henry, a screening of the documentary “How to Build a Library,” and discussions on African publishing, speculative fiction and AI in creative writing. The Lagos State Government will also provide N20,000 book grants to 100 attendees under 25.

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