The Francophone African Music Industries Fair (SIMA) will hold its third edition on November 12 and 13, 2026, in Cotonou, Benin.
After attracting more than 6,700 participants and over 3,000 professionals at its previous edition, the pan-African gathering of the cultural and creative industries returns with a clear ambition: to turn African music into a genuine driver of influence, value creation and economic development.
Held under the theme "African Music: From the Stage to the Power of Influence,” the 2026 edition aims to go beyond the purely artistic dimension by addressing the economic, technological and institutional issues shaping the future of the sector.
SIMA is supported in particular by Benin’s Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Benin’s Ministry of Tourism and Foreign Trade, the French Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire, the BOAD Foundation, as well as SACEM, Sony Music and Warner Music Africa.
Benin Hosts the Event for the Second Time
For the second consecutive year, Benin will host SIMA. This choice is in line with the country’s policy of strengthening the role of the cultural and creative industries in its economic development and in expanding its regional and international influence.
Co-founded in 2022 by cultural entrepreneur Mamby Diomandé and artist-producer Pit Baccardi, SIMA has gradually established itself as a platform bringing together artists, producers, investors, institutions and music industry professionals.
The 2026 edition also aims to address the profound technological changes affecting the music industry. Artificial intelligence, new creative tools, changing distribution models and evolving consumption habits will be at the heart of the discussions.
According to the organizers, Africa’s creative economy could contribute to the creation of up to 20 million jobs by 2030. Against this backdrop, SIMA aims to help move beyond international cultural recognition toward ensuring that African talent captures a greater share of the economic value it generates.
"African music is no longer just a cultural phenomenon; it has become a force of influence,” says Mamby Diomandé, co-founder of SIMA. The challenge now, he adds, is to transform this influence into sustainable economic benefits through investment, content monetization, job creation and the development of new markets.
Three Priorities to Structure the Industry
The SIMA 2026 program will focus on three main areas.
The first concerns competitiveness and internationalization. The objective is to strengthen the ability of African professionals to position themselves in international markets and promote the export of the continent’s talent and productions.
The second area focuses on synergies between creative industries. In particular, SIMA aims to build stronger connections between music and fashion, cinema, tourism and sport in order to create new collaborations and diversify sources of revenue.
The third area will focus on public policy, intellectual property and regulation. Discussions will notably examine ways to help African creators and businesses better protect their work and capture a larger share of the value generated by their activities.
Beyond the conferences, SIMA also aims to encourage professional networking and collaboration through artistic residencies, live sessions and immersive formats bringing together artists, producers and international industry players.
A Week Dedicated to Creativity and Business
From November 7 to 11, the SIMA Lab. Music will bring together artists and beatmakers from various African countries for a residency aimed at producing a collaborative EP. Distribution by an international major label is being considered.
On November 12 and 13, professional sessions and panel discussions will address several issues currently transforming the music industry, including artificial intelligence, copyright, artist mobility, financing and access to new markets.
The connection between football and music will also be one of the highlights of this edition. SIMA aims to showcase two sectors that play an important role in Africa’s cultural reach and international influence.
The Makaya stage, meanwhile, will be dedicated to discovering new talent. Emerging artists from Togo, Kenya, Madagascar and other African countries will be given the opportunity to showcase their work.
The program will also include the presentation of the Hamed Bakayoko Prize, an honorary distinction recognizing the commitment of a patron to the development of Africa’s cultural and creative industries.
Tourism to Extend the Experience
SIMA will not end with the professional meetings. On November 14, a tourism circuit organized in partnership with Bénin Tourisme will give artists, professionals and international guests the opportunity to discover several of the country’s iconic sites.
This final stage is designed to extend discussions in a different setting while showcasing Benin’s cultural, historical and tourism heritage.
With its third edition, SIMA aims to place music at the center of a broader discussion about the future of Africa’s creative industries: how can the international visibility of African artists be transformed into revenue, jobs, investment and lasting influence for the continent?