In December 2023, Kendrick Lamar walked onto the stage at BK Arena in Kigali and 8,000 people lost it. It was the very first Move Afrika show, and it came with a big promise: Africa deserves a permanent spot on the world's touring map. Not as a pitstop. As a destination.
Fast-forward to today, and Move Afrika has played five shows across three cities, with John Legend and Doja Cat following Kendrick's lead. But the headliners are only half the story. The real magic happens behind the scenes, in the crews, trainees, and local businesses building every show from the ground up.
So while we gear up for what's next, we're looking back at the numbers that tell the story so far. Here's what three years of Move Afrika looks like.
3,000+
That's how many job opportunities Move Afrika has generated across Kigali, Lagos, and Pretoria since 2023. Think riggers, lighting techs, stage builders, security teams, event coordinators, and more. Every show needs an army, and Move Afrika recruits it locally.
5 shows, 3 cities
Kigali in 2023. Kigali and Lagos in 2025. Kigali and Pretoria in 2026. In three years, the circuit has stretched from East Africa to West Africa to Southern Africa, with Kigali as its home base every single year.
75% → nearly 100%
This is the number we're proudest of. At the very first Kigali show, 75% of crew and production roles were filled locally. By 2025, that hit 90%. By 2026, it was nearly 100%. Translation: Rwanda is now running world-class arena shows with its own people.
98%
The share of audio and lighting fixtures sourced locally for Move Afrika: Kigali in 2026. Rigging came in at 95% local, installed alongside UK-based Unusual Rigging. That's up from 95% local audio and lighting equipment in 2025, and the bar keeps rising.
880
LED panels. All locally provided, for one of the most technically complex productions ever staged in Rwanda. That's a lot of light.
100%
Pretoria didn't ease in. Its Move Afrika debut was delivered entirely with local crew and equipment, a fully South African production from start to finish. Lagos wasn't far behind, with 90% local crew and 95% locally sourced equipment in 2025.
120
Young Rwandans aged 18 to 25 who have gone through the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator program over three years, getting hands-on experience in production, hospitality, logistics, ticketing, marketing, and event coordination. It started with 35 in 2023. In 2026, five youth ambassadors also stepped into roles with The Financial Boutique.
112+
Security personnel trained to international standards for Move Afrika: Kigali in 2026, through a bespoke program by local firm Crowd Minders and Cohort Security Group. Safe shows don't happen by accident.
20
Artisans from the Nyamirambo Women's Center handwove traditional Agaseke peace baskets that lit up the stage as lighting fixtures. Proof that "local" doesn't just mean the crew. It's the look and feel of the whole show.
300+
Young people who packed BK Arena in March 2026 for a youth forum on sexual and reproductive health, consent, and relationships. Because a thriving creative economy needs a healthy generation to lead it.
Here's the thing about these numbers...
They keep going up. Every edition, more of the show is built by local hands, more young people get their foot in the door, and more cities get to prove they can host the world's biggest artists.
As Doja Cat put it ahead of her shows, this is a movement built to create opportunities that last. And three years in, it's still just getting started.
So what's next for Move Afrika? We're not spilling just yet. But trust us, you'll want to be first to know. Download the Global Citizen app, take action, and keep an eye on moveafrika.org for updates.