Nigerian Stars to Shine at PluggedIN 2026 Event

Nigerian entertainers and digital creators like Aproko Doctor, Taaooma, Layi Wasabi, and Osas Ighodaro will be part of PluggedIN 2026. This event aims to strengthen partnerships among creators, brands, and advertising agencies.

Scheduled for 22 October in Victoria Island, Lagos, this event will gather content creators, brand executives, and industry professionals. They will look into ways to turn digital content and original ideas into successful businesses.

The event is organized by Woof Studios Africa in collaboration with Insight Redefini, a Publicis Groupe-connected business in Nigeria. Actress and media personality Bisola Aiyeola will host the event.

Other notable creators expected to attend include Biodun Stephen, Afropolitan, Bolaji Ogunmola, Folagade Banks, Geena Foodies n Spice, Ify’s Kitchen, and Shank Comics.

Highlights

Discussions at the event will cover content ownership, audience retention, brand partnerships, and commercial opportunities for creators beyond social media posts.

A panel made up of Craze Clown, Jay On-Air, Kiekie, and Winifred Nwania from Zeelicious Food will talk about the realities of building sustainable creative businesses.

Another discussion titled Beyond the Post: What Brands Really Want to Build with Creators will feature brand and agency executives. They will discuss how businesses can create long-term partnerships with creators using original content and storytelling.

Panel members include Adeyinka Jemi-Alade, Head of Integrated Marketing Communications at TGI Group; Bolaji Popoola, Media and Consumer Experience Manager at Mondelez International; Chisom Bikawei, Media Communications Manager at Nestlé Nigeria PLC; Esosa Osagiede, Group Creative Director at Insight Redefini; Francis Obiajulu, Senior Brand Manager for Amstel Malta and Hi-Malt; and Sam Okolie, Head of Mainstream Spirit at Guinness Nigeria.

Creative Economy

This event comes as interest in the creator economy grows. Digital platforms are giving Nigerians chances to build audiences and reach international markets.

According to the announcement, Nigeria had over 1,500 YouTube channels with more than 100,000 subscribers in 2024. Together, these channels made over $10 million in advertising revenue on the platform.

But the announcement also mentioned that more than 56 percent of Nigerian creators earn less than $100 monthly. This shows the struggle to turn online visibility into steady income.

Adetutu Laditan, founder and Creative Director of Woof Studios Africa, said the partnership with Insight Redefini would help creators connect with brands and get the production support they need.

“Nigerian creators are thinking bigger, and that is exactly what forward-thinking brands want to be part of,” Ms. Laditan said.

She explained that the studio's role is to handle the business and production challenges of funding, creating, and sharing creative ideas.

According to her, this partnership would give creators better access to advertising strategies and brand partnerships. It would help them move from viral hits to lasting business success.

Babatunde Olaifa, CEO of Insight Redefini Group, said creators have become key to how businesses connect with consumers.

“The creator economy is no longer a secondary channel; it is the absolute frontline of consumer engagement in Africa today,” Mr. Olaifa said.

He added that PluggedIN 2026 would link the agency’s brand portfolio with creators, providing chances for support and collaboration.

PluggedIN

This 2026 edition is a follow-up to the first PluggedIN event held with YouTube in 2025.

This year’s partnership with Insight Redefini continues the focus on connecting creators with businesses and agencies that can help develop and commercialize their ideas.

Instead of just influencer campaigns, the organizers want to promote collaborations that include original formats, digital series, communities, and intellectual property.

Creators and industry stakeholders will explore ways to create commercially viable projects from Nigeria’s growing digital content scene at PluggedIN 2026.