40,000-Plus At Biggest Afro Nation Portugal To Date

Burna Boy
Burna Boy headlining day one of Afro Nation Portugal 2023. (Picture courtesy of Afro Nation Portugal)

Afro Nation Portugal celebrated its biggest edition in its young history on the Algarve coast in Portimao, June 28-30, headlined by Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido.

Other acts on the bill included Aya Nakamura, Popcaan, Ayra Starr, Nissi, Asake, Little Simz, Bnxn, Black Sherif, Ms Banks, Tyla And Booba, Portugal’s own Nelson Freitas, and more, as well as 50 Cent and Booba, who “injected a new vibe for such a diverse and wide reaching festival,” according to promoters.

Investing In Africa: How Afro Nation Ghana Changed The Game

50 Cent
50 Cent on stage at Afro Nation Portugal 2023. (Picture courtesy of Afro Nation)

A celebration of Afrobeats and Amapiano, it only took three years for Afro Nation Portugal to grow from 20,000 people at its Portuguese debut in 2019 to more than 40,000 in 2023.

During this time, Afro Nation also expanded to North America, with editions in Miami and Detroit debuting this year. And with Afro Nation heading to Nigeria this year as well, it has already established a presence on three continents.

Reflecting on this years’ edition, Afro Nation co-founder Adesegun Adeosun Jnr, aka Smade, said, “It brings us so much joy to see so many people coming together to celebrate our culture with us, in what now feels like our home of Portimão. Portugal 2023 was another dream realised, and we can’t wait to see how much the movement will have grown by the time we return again in 2024.

“The love and unity shared by all is what makes this festival so special to so many, and what drives us to create the best experiences we can for our people. We want to thank everyone for sharing this with us, and we welcome you all back to the beach next summer!”

Tickets for Afro Nation Portugal 2024 are on sale.

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