Last February, with Africalia’s support, Santuri East Africa held the Kilele Summit 2025 in Nairobi. As the only summit in East Africa dedicated to music technology and innovation, the event’s second edition hosted numerous workshops, panels, talks, installations, showcases, screenings, and more. The audience experienced firsthand how Kenya’s music scene is a true force for social innovation.
Kilele Summit
Santuri East Africa, the organization behind the Kilele Summit, describes the event as “a space dedicated to bold music and culture, fostering exchanges, collaborations, and innovations.” From February 18 to 22, The Mall in Nairobi transformed into a meeting place to discuss the future of music in East Africa. Over the course of five days, Kilele welcomed musicians, producers, technologists, activists, and even academic researchers for a celebration of innovative practices in the music industry. The artists featured included internationally renowned musicians as well as creatives from underground collectives. As an organization primarily focused on community advocacy, Santuri East Africa emphasized inclusivity and diversity at the summit.
Following a successful first edition of Kilele in 2024, the 2025 edition definitely also hit the mark. Over 5 days, the summit hosted no less than 2400 guests, who came to enjoy vibrant music performances, to broaden their horizons through informative panels, or to let loose during cutting-edge DJ sets. With 87 performers and participants coming from 20 countries, Kilele Summit clearly demonstrated that technology and innovation in the music sector transcend national boundaries and have the power to bring people together.
Santuri East Africa and Africalia
Santuri East Africa is a community-focused music innovation hub striving for a more equitable, authentic, and diverse music industry. Africalia has teamed up with Santuri East Africa in the framework of the initiative to support to ten cultural initiatives in Nairobi. After a call for proposals for cultural projects in Nairobi County at the end of 2024, Santuri East Africa’s project to organise the second edition of Kilele Summit was withheld. By supporting the organisation of such innovative events, Africalia aims to unlock the great potential of Kenya’s culture sector and its bustling creative scene, strengthening the network of creatives and extending the accessibility of culture.
Santuri East Africa's Kilele Summit is the first of ten projects supported by Africalia to have been completed. Stay tuned for the latest news on upcoming activities!
©Santuri East Africa
