African Marketplace returns to Dubai in October 2026, bringing African and Caribbean innovators together with global investors and buyers
African Marketplace (AMP), a pan-continental trade and cultural platform, will return for its second edition from October 10 to 12, 2026, at the Conrad Hotel Dubai following a successful debut in 2025.
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The event is designed to connect African and Caribbean entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators with global buyers, investors, distributors and policymakers in one of the world’s leading trade hubs.
Organisers say the 2026 edition will expand its focus on showcasing export-ready brands and small and medium enterprises across fashion, furniture, art, cuisine, music, technology, wellness and intellectual capital.
Founder of African Marketplace and the Ibukun Awosika Leadership Academy, Ibukun Awosika, said the platform is evolving into a stronger global gateway for African and Caribbean excellence.
She described the 2025 edition as a proof of concept, adding that the upcoming event will scale up in ambition and commercial impact.
“African Marketplace 2025 was proof of concept. What the world witnessed in Dubai was not potential, it was excellence in full expression,” she said.
“For 2026, we are going even further. We are building on that foundation with greater scale, sharper commercial focus, and an even stronger declaration that Africa and the Caribbean are not waiting to be discovered,” she added.
AMP said the event will feature curated exhibitions, investment conversations, cultural showcases and strategic networking sessions aimed at deepening cross-continental partnerships.
Organisers added that the platform continues to position itself as both a commercial gateway and cultural bridge, promoting trade, innovation and collaboration on a global scale.
Exhibitor registration for African Marketplace Dubai 2026 is now open, with businesses, investors and partners encouraged to apply through the official website.
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For more information, interested participants can visit [www.theafricanmarketplace.org](http://www.theafricanmarketplace.org) or contact [info@theafricanmarketplace.org](mailto:info@theafricanmarketplace.org).
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
