Africa Events Summit Officials Calls for National Convention Bureau to Attract Global Events
By Peace Muthoka
NAIROBI, Kenya, September 5, 2026 — Kenya’s events industry has renewed calls for the operationalisation of a National Convention Bureau to help attract more international conferences, strengthen the country’s events sector and unlock new economic opportunities.
The call was made on Saturday during a media briefing in Nairobi ahead of the inaugural Africa Events Summit, which will be held on September 10 and 11 at the Argyle Grand Hotel.
The summit will bring together stakeholders from the events, entertainment, tourism, hospitality, technology and creative industries to discuss ways of building a more coordinated and competitive events sector in Kenya and across Africa.
Ian Migwi, CEO of Billion Events East Africa and convener of the summit, said Kenya’s events industry had for years received limited attention despite its potential to generate investment, create jobs and support other sectors of the economy.
“For the longest, the event industry has actually been considered as an afterthought in this country,” Migwi said.
He said the Africa Events Summit was intended to bring industry players together, address challenges affecting the sector and develop recommendations that could inform government policy.
“Most of the deliberations that we are going to discuss next week is actually going to affect and influence how the event industry operates,” Migwi said.
The recommendations from the summit are expected to be presented to the Principal Secretary for Tourism to inform policy discussions.
Migwi also called for greater cooperation among private-sector players, saying stronger partnerships would encourage investment, knowledge sharing and business opportunities within the events industry.
A major focus will be the proposed National Convention Bureau, which stakeholders believe could give Kenya a stronger platform for bidding for major international conferences and events.
“We believe that once Kenya is able to establish a Convention Bureau, we are able to bid and pitch for more events that are actually global to come and participate into this country,” Migwi said.
The push comes as Kenya continues to invest in infrastructure and measures aimed at making the country more accessible to international visitors. The summit secretariat cited the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, construction of the Bomas International Convention Complex and the waiver of visas for citizens of 52 African countries as developments that could support the growth of international events.
Creative economy takes centre stage
While international conferences remain an important part of the events economy, stakeholders also want greater attention paid to Africa’s creative industries.
Benjamin Otwal, a music executive and talent manager for Alikiba, said culture was among East Africa’s major assets and that entertainment provided an important avenue for taking African culture to international audiences.
“The majority of culture is exported through entertainment,” Otwal said.
He said the summit would provide an opportunity to examine how African artists and other creatives can better package their work and compete in international markets.
Otwal will host a masterclass on experience and creative alignment, focusing on artists, dancers, DJs and other creative professionals.
He also urged companies to increase investment in local artists through campaigns, events and other partnerships, saying greater corporate support would help expand Africa’s creative economy.
Security vital to successful events
At the same time, event security has been identified as an important part of efforts to improve the quality and competitiveness of Kenya’s events industry.
Litali Kingsley, CEO of CrimeShield Security Ltd, said security was often given less attention than other aspects of event planning, despite its role in shaping the experience of attendees.
“Security comes as a third wheel,” Kingsley said.
She said security should be incorporated into event planning from the beginning, particularly when organisers are considering how people will enter, move through and leave a venue.
“Security is supposed to be built in,” she said.
Kingsley will lead a masterclass on event security during the Africa Events Summit, where participants will examine crowd management and safety through real-life case studies.
She also called for greater investment in event security as Kenya seeks to attract more major local and international events.
“We believe that no one should lose their personal belongings in pursuit of great experiences,” Kingsley said.
The Africa Events Summit is expected to provide a platform for industry players to move away from fragmented approaches and work towards stronger collaboration, professional standards and increased investment.
Organisers also plan to expand the summit beyond Kenya to other African countries as efforts grow to develop a more connected and competitive African events economy.
