Africa, Caribbean brands eye global expansion at Dubai Marketplace

African Marketplace (AMP), a pan-African trade and cultural platform founded by Ibukun Awosika, will return to Dubai in October 2026 as organisers push to connect more African and Caribbean businesses with global buyers and investors.

The second edition of the event will hold from October 10 to 12, 2026, at the Conrad Dubai, following what organisers described as a successful debut outing in 2025.

The platform is expected to bring together export-ready businesses, creatives, innovators, policymakers, distributors, and investors from Africa and the Caribbean in a move aimed at expanding trade and strengthening global market access for regional brands.

Organisers said the event will showcase products and services across fashion, furniture, art, cuisine, music, technology, wellness, and other creative sectors, while also creating opportunities for investment discussions, networking, and strategic partnerships.

Speaking on the upcoming edition, Awosika said the maiden event in 2025 demonstrated that African and Caribbean businesses are ready to compete globally.

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According to her, the 2026 edition will focus on larger commercial opportunities and stronger international partnerships.

“African Marketplace 2025 was proof of concept. What the world witnessed in Dubai was not potential, it was excellence in full expression,” she said.

She added that the platform is designed to project Africa and the Caribbean as regions capable of building globally competitive businesses and creating their own economic opportunities.

African Marketplace describes itself as a commercial and cultural gateway connecting African and Caribbean entrepreneurs with international visibility, investment opportunities, and global distribution networks.

Organisers said exhibitor registration for the 2026 edition has officially opened through African Marketplace.

The event is expected to deepen trade and cultural ties between Africa, the Caribbean, and global markets, while positioning Dubai as a strategic hub for Afro-Caribbean business expansion.