John Legend Hosts Sold Out Crowd at Move Afrika: Kigali, with Bwiza, DJ TOXXYK and More

Kigali, February 21, 2025 //Global Citizen’s Move Afrika has returned to Kigali with a spectacular evening of music and citizen-led advocacy, headlined by EGOT-winning, critically acclaimed, multiplatinum artist and producer John Legend. Move Afrika: Kigali also featured Bwiza and DJ TOXXYK, backdropped by creative work from local designers and artisans, as the first pan-African touring circuit headlined by international artists continues to expand from East to West Africa. The next stop on the tour will be Lagos, Nigeria on February 25.

John Legend gave the sold out crowd an unforgettable headline performance featuring some of his greatest hits, including ‘Ordinary People’, ‘Green Light’, and ‘All of Me’. “We just arrived in Kigali this morning and I felt the energy and excitement of this city all day,” he said. “I am so proud to be here, my first-ever performance in Kigali, in East Africa, and in Rwanda. We are here tonight because we love you. Because we want to celebrate music and love because we feel connected to you”. Throughout his performance, he wore custom designs by Kigali-based fashion houses Moshions and Tanga. 

During the Move Afrika: Kigali pre-show entertainment, the audience watched the world premiere of a brand new documentary, ‘Art Behind the Artist’, which showcases the first edition of Move Afrika and the creative teams that brought the landmark event to life. The documentary highlights the long term vision for Move Afrika to catalyze the continent’s creative industries, generating opportunities for Africa’s next generation of artists and entrepreneurs.

“Pioneering the infrastructure for international artists to be able to tour across Africa is an audacious vision that requires unwavering dedication from performers, producers, partners and the people of our incredible host city. Tonight, we saw the results of that dedication burst into vivid color, with a night of music and culture so inspiring young Rwandans will remember it forever,” said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder & CEO, Global Citizen. “Move Afrika is all about equipping Africa’s next generation to push far beyond the limits of what’s currently possible, and we’re honored to be part of their journey.” 

Launched in 2023, Move Afrika is a long-term effort to pioneer the international music touring circuit throughout the continent of Africa, with a dedicated focus on driving economic investment, expanding infrastructure and building local capacity within host cities, creating local jobs, generating skill training and youth entrepreneurship opportunities, and showcasing the best of African creative talent to the world.

Additionally, international advocacy organization Global Citizen is leveraging this year’s Move Afrika tour to drive a citizen-led advocacy campaign focused on strengthening health systems across Africa. During pre-show activations in both Kigali and Lagos, where participants earned free show tickets, Global Citizen urged African nations to increase domestic health financing, prioritize primary care and sexual and reproductive health and rights, boost global investments in health resilience, and alleviate financial burdens on nations to strengthen public health. 

This year, Move Afrika: Kigali took groundbreaking steps to deliver a world-class show with a local Rwandan crew. In association with global production company Done and Dusted and the Rwanda Events Group, the show increased the proportion of local crew from 75 percent in 2023 to 90 percent this year, demonstrating Rwanda’s progress toward becoming a world-class event destination. 

Specific examples of investments made in the skills and businesses of local Rwandans this year included: 

• Technical Production: Thanks to Rwanda Events Group, this year’s edition saw a significant increase in locally-sourced technical production. Locally sourced audio control increased from 50 percent to 95 percent, lighting from 40 percent to 95 percent, and video crew from 33 percent to 75 percent. Additionally, building upon collaborations established in 2023, local crewmembers worked with international technical teams from PRG, John Henry’s and Solotech on equipment preparation and maintenance, moving the local events industry in a new and exciting direction.
• Set and Stage: Move Afrika: Kigali showcased Rwandan creative excellence to the world through engaging two local artisans. Dolph Banza returned to design a new set of stage backdrops evoking traditional Kitenge fabric designs. Additionally, 20 artisans from the Nyamirambo Women’s Center crafted traditional Agaseke peace baskets to hang across the stage as dynamic lighting fixtures. 
• Hospitality and Events Trainees: Move Afrika this year expanded its partnership with the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, increasing the number of young people aged 18-25 trained to support the event from 35 to 50. These young adults received training and shadowed Global Citizen and partner crews, gaining work experience in areas of event production and hospitality, aligned to their areas of interest. 
• First Aid and Security: This year's Move Afrika was the first ever event in Rwanda to be staffed by local private security service professionals who have received accredited First Aid training, thanks to a bespoke course delivered by Global Citizen's Safety & Security team to over 100 staff of local private security firm Crowd Minders. Additionally, 45 event supervisors, managers and pit supervisors received specialist security training from Cohort Security Group in line with international standards for the first time in Rwanda, including audience and team management, behavioural observation and audience communication. 
• Venue and Rigging: Following innovations and upgrades made to the BK Arena for Move Afrika in 2023, QA Venue Solutions worked in partnership with Momentum and Fortem to complete a structural survey to ascertain the arena’s true weight capacity for the rigging of event equipment. As a result, this year’s Move Afrika production saw the BK Arena operate at full production capabilities as a true multi-purpose venue. Additionally, the show production crew included Rwanda’s first four full-time riggers, who have received upskilling support and training from Rwanda Events Group in partnership with Unusual Rigging over the past year.

• Production Crew Student Training: As part of Rwanda Events Group’s in-house capacity-building program, 14 students successfully completed a six-month introductory training program. Six of them continued on to work directly on the production of tonight’s event, aligned to Move Afrika’s commitment to skill development, on the job training, and growth opportunities for the next generation.

With a dedicated focus on investing in young Rwandans who are strengthening their country, Global Citizen provided thousands of free Move Afrika: Kigali tickets to young people, including:

• Community Health Advocates: Over 1000 Rwandans joined Global Citizen for a day of action focused on women’s and youth health, in partnership with the Rwandan Ministry of Health; Rwanda Biomedical Center; Imbuto Foundation, and Kimisagara Youth Center (Maison des Jeunes), featuring a mobile health clinic and activations empowering young people to make informed choices to improve their personal wellbeing. 
• Move Afrika Creative Fellows: Returning for a second year with an expanded offering, in partnership with Rwanda Film Office, Rwanda Development Board and Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation, the filmmakers’ masterclass program received a record number of applications, with concept submissions focused on the topic of healthcare. Fifteen participants were selected to join workshops and coaching sessions covering topics including the art of pitching and treatment development, with one filmmaker awarded funding to produce their short film. The program received additional support from Cisco and Tribeca Studios.
• Global Citizen Prize Winners: Staff and volunteers from organizations awarded the Global Citizen Prize within the last three years were invited to join Move Afrika: Kigali, including Water Access Rwanda, Loss and Damage Youth Coalition and MobiKlinic.

Partners of Move Afrika include pgLang and the Rwanda Development Board.

The 2025 edition of Move Afrika builds on Global Citizen’s previous campaigns and events across Africa, including the 2023 edition of Move Afrika: Rwanda, headlined by Kendrick Lamar; Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, which featured Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Usher, Eddie Vedder, and Chris Martin of Coldplay in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2018; Global Citizen Live: Lagos, with performances by Davido, Femi Kuti, and Tiwa Savage at Fela Kuti’s New Afrika Shrine in 2021; and Global Citizen Festival: Accra, which brought Usher, SZA, Stormzy, and TEMS to the Black Star Square in 2022.

For more information visit moveafrika.org.

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