Fresh off a high-energy opening from Doja Cat; the spotlight around Move Afrika is not just on the stage, but on what comes next for the continent’s live music economy. In an exclusive interview with The New Times ahead of the show, Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen, laid out an ambitious plan to reshape how Africa fits into the global touring map. ALSO READ: Doja Cat brings “Vie” to life in Kigali in first-ever Africa performance At the center of that plan is Move Afrika, a long-term partnership with Kendrick Lamar and his creative company pgLang. The goal is clear. Build the first international touring circuit that consistently reaches cities across East, West, North and Southern Africa. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The New Times (@thenewtimesrwanda) “What often happens is major international artists announce global tours and skip the continent,” Evans said. “Maybe one stop in Johannesburg or Cape Town, but not at scale.” Move Afrika is designed to change that pattern. The vision is that Africa becomes a standard part of every global tour, not an afterthought. Evans believes that consistency will do more than bring shows. It will help build an ecosystem. “We know this will expand the creative industry, create jobs and ultimately enable people to build brighter futures,” he said. ALSO READ: Kagame meets Global Citizen boss as Kigali hosts third Move Afrika concert That approach is closely tied to Global Citizen’s broader mission to end extreme poverty. Evans pointed to the words of Nelson Mandela, who described poverty as man-made and something that can be eradicated through collective action. That philosophy is already shaping how Move Afrika operates on the ground. From stage design to production, there is a strong focus on local collaboration. Evans noted that elements of previous shows tied to Kendrick Lamar were designed and produced locally in Rwanda, reflecting a commitment to building capacity within the continent. The initiative also extends beyond performances. Through partnerships such as Harambe, young creatives are being trained and mentored across fields like set design, sound engineering and production. The idea is to pair emerging talent with experienced professionals, then connect them to opportunities and funding to launch their own ventures. For Evans, the question of viability goes beyond profit margins. “Something doesn’t have to be profitable to be viable,” he said, pointing to global creative institutions that rely on sponsorship and philanthropy. “Across the continent, this can be essential to job creation even before it becomes fully commercial.” He argues that waiting for higher consumer spending before investing in live entertainment would be a mistake. Africa’s young and rapidly growing population presents what he calls a “massive demographic dividend,” one that could fuel not just music, but adjacent industries like tech and media. As fans filled the arena in Kigali and the music carried into the night, the immediate impact of Move Afrika was clear. But for Evans, the bigger picture is still unfolding. The long-term bet is that nights like this become routine across the continent, and that Africa is no longer seen as a single stop, but as a fully developed touring market with its own infrastructure, talent and global pull.
