Nigeria’s first-ever podcast and storytelling festival, PodFest Naija – A Festival of Stories, made a historic debut on Friday, October 10, 2025, at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, drawing more than 1,500 creators, storytellers, brands, and policymakers for a day of collaboration, culture, and creativity.
Curated by The Muvmnt Studio in partnership with Eventful, the festival lived up to its promise of uniting Nigeria’s most influential voices to celebrate storytelling, encourage industry collaboration, and inspire innovation in digital media. Featuring live podcast recordings, brand activations, six themed stages, and a masterclass on monetisation, PodFest Naija became the creative heartbeat of Lagos for the day.
In her keynote address, Honourable Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, highlighted podcasting’s growing power in amplifying Nigeria’s voice globally. “Podcasting has become one of the most powerful tools for projecting our soft power and amplifying Nigerian creativity to the world,” the Minister stated. “It is a veritable medium that transcends borders, democratising how stories are told and who gets to tell them.”
She further described podcasting as a vital tool for youth empowerment and job creation. “Our young people are not just listeners. They are creators. They are hosts. They are writers. They are sound engineers, researchers and digital entrepreneurs. Everything that speaks to that value chain from the bottom to the up. I think podcasting covers everything. Mr. President is really committed to looking at how we can fortify the future of the young people. And the only way that we can do that is by absorbing as many young people into the job market as possible.”
Tosin Adefeko, Curator of PodFest Naija and CEO of AT3 Resources – The Muvmnt Agency, reflected on the festival’s vision and evolution. “When we started this journey, our vision was simple: to tell better stories. Over time, we realised that everyone was working in silos; there was no platform bringing the tribe together. We knew something had to change.”
“PodFest Naija was born out of that realisation. It’s a festival of stories, a creative convergence designed to celebrate our voices, collaborate across communities, innovate in how stories are told, and learn from one another. Whether we like it or not, the podcast ecosystem is here to stay, and we intend to stand at the forefront of that movement.”
The festival’s star-studded lineup featured more than 40 leading voices, including Chude Jideonwo, Tunde Onakoya, Adaora Mbelu, Rufai Oseni, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, and Masoyinbo, who led discussions cutting across generations, genres, and industries.
Major brands such as Coca-Cola, Sterling Bank, UAC Foods, Bet9ja, and Crown Flour Mills powered immersive brand experiences, underscoring the growing intersection of storytelling, culture, and commerce.
One of the day’s standout moments was the unveiling of “The Next Big Podcaster,” an initiative by The Muvmnt Studio to recognise emerging talent shaping the future of podcasting. Pearllie Hart was announced live on stage as the winner, earning a spotlight as one of Nigeria’s most promising new podcasters.
As Nigeria cements its place in the global creative economy, PodFest Naija 2025 has set a new benchmark for storytelling festivals across Africa - uniting creators, policymakers, and brands to celebrate creativity, drive collaboration, and amplify Nigerian voices beyond borders.
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