AGP Executive Report

Ivorian Talent Abroad: Manchester United and Arsenal are among four Premier League clubs tracking 20-year-old Côte d’Ivoire winger Bazoumana Touré, who joined Newcastle this summer for £43 million. Handball: Abidjan HBC finished fourth at the African Champions Clubs Championship in Luanda, after reaching the semi-finals for the first time. Music: Roseline Layo is set to perform for peace in Bouaké on November 15; Abidjan also welcomed Nimba’s Morris Kings for a Dan music showcase. Screen: Actress and producer Kadhy Touré has launched the series “Zanka” on NCI. Ghana’s Regal Film Festival and Awards has announced 314 nominees’ entries from 36 countries ahead of its December event. Cultural Exchange: Japan plans to spend $11.6 million promoting manga, anime, music and film abroad, building on a January anime-song concert in Abidjan that drew a large crowd.

Cultural Diplomacy: Japan is seeking $11.6 million to take manga, anime, music and films to new audiences overseas. Its January anime concert in Abidjan drew about 600 people inside and 2,000 more outside. Ivorian Screen: Actress and presenter Kadhy Touré has launched Zanka, a new series on NCI. Live Music: Roseline Layo is set to perform a concert for peace in Bouaké on November 15, while Nimba’s Morris Kings recently brought their sound to Abidjan’s Dan Music Showcase. Fashion: Yopougon Fashion Tour 8 put Ivorian designers in the spotlight with a two-day event.

Pop Culture Diplomacy: Japan plans to promote manga, anime, music and film abroad, building on a January concert in Abidjan where rock band Flow played Naruto themes to about 600 fans. Ivorian Music: Roseline Layo is set to headline a peace and social-cohesion concert in Bouaké on November 15, with more performers still to be announced. Television: Ivorian actress Kadhy Touré has launched the series Zanka on NCI. Pageantry: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi reached the Miss Grand International 2026 Top 11 and won Best in Swimsuit. Women in the Arts: A new bilingual book featuring 17 African women leaders shares career lessons across fields including fashion, media and the arts; Angélique Kidjo wrote its foreword.

Music: Roseline Layo will headline a peace and social-cohesion concert in Bouaké on November 15, using National Peace Day to bring people together through music. Television: Ivorian actress and producer Kadhy Touré has launched her new series, “Zanka,” on NCI. Milestone: Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris are celebrating 30 years of Coast to Coast. Pageantry: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi reached the Miss Grand International Top 11 and won Best in Swimsuit. Basketball: The BAL has refurbished a court in Abidjan as part of a six-court project to expand access to the game across Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Nigeria. Football: Ivorian winger Yan Diomande scored his first goal for Real Madrid, strengthening his case for more playing time.

Basketball: The Basketball Africa League is refurbishing six courts across Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal. Abidjan’s court was unveiled earlier this month, expanding access to upgraded facilities for young players. Music: Roseline Layo will headline a peace and social cohesion concert in Bouaké on November 15, marking National Peace Day. Pageantry: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi reached the Miss Grand International Top 11 and won Best in Swimsuit. Television: Actress Kadhy Touré has launched her series “Zanka” on NCI.

Ivorian TV: Kadhy Touré’s new drama Zanka began airing on NCI on October 12. The series follows a woman determined to protect her family and is scheduled weekdays at 9 p.m. Live Music: Roseline Layo will perform a concert for peace and social cohesion in Bouaké on November 15, with other acts still to be announced. Pageant News: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi reached the Top 11 at Miss Grand International 2026 and won Best in Swimsuit. African Cinema: Rwanda has chosen Ben’Imana as its first-ever Oscars submission for Best International Feature, following the film’s Cannes success.

Music: Congolese soukous star Kanda Bongoman’s high-energy performances and crossover appeal have made him a fixture across African music scenes. Pageantry: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi placed in the Miss Grand International 2026 Top 11 and won Best in Swimsuit. Live Shows: Roseline Layo will headline a November 15 concert in Bouaké for National Peace Day, using music to promote social cohesion. Television: Kadhy Touré’s new family drama, “Zanka,” begins airing on NCI today, October 12, with weekday episodes at 9 p.m. African Film: At Durban FilmMart, producer Samantha Biffot will discuss taking the Rwanda-Gabon-Ivory Coast co-production “Ben’Imana” from a market pitch to Cannes, where it won two awards.

Music: Congolese soukous star Kanda Bongoman’s decades-long appeal crosses language and borders, built on infectious rhythms and high-energy dance performances. Television: Ivorian actor and creator Kadhy Touré’s new drama, Zanka, begins airing on NCI on October 12. The series follows a woman protecting her family amid power struggles. Live Shows: Roseline Layo will headline a peace and social-cohesion concert in Bouaké on November 15, marking National Peace Day. Pageants: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi placed in the Top 11 at Miss Grand International 2026 and won Best in Swimsuit.

Screen & Stage: Kadhy Touré’s new drama Zanka begins weekday broadcasts on NCI on October 12. The series follows a woman protecting her family amid power struggles. Music: Roseline Layo will headline a peace and social cohesion concert in Bouaké on November 15, with more performers still to be announced. Fashion & Pageantry: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi placed in the Top 11 at Miss Grand International 2026 and won Best in Swimsuit. Ivorian Music: Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris joined artists from three continents in Abidjan for a creative camp marking hip-hop label Coast to Coast’s 30th anniversary.

Pageant Spotlight: Côte d’Ivoire’s Marlène Kany Kouassi placed in the Top 11 at Miss Grand International 2026 and won Best in Swimsuit. Tanzania’s Jihan Mohin Dimachk took the crown. Live Music: Roseline Layo will headline a peace and social cohesion concert in Bouaké on November 15, marking National Peace Day. On Screen: Kadhy Touré’s drama series “Zanka” begins airing on NCI on October 12, following a woman determined to protect her family. African Cinema: At Durban FilmMart, producer Samantha Biffot will discuss “Ben’Imana,” a Rwanda-Gabon-France-Norway-Ivory Coast co-production that won awards at Cannes. Music Industry: Ivorian artists Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris joined an international creative camp in Abidjan celebrating hip-hop label Coast to Coast’s 30th anniversary.

Television: Kadhy Touré’s drama Zanka premieres on NCI on October 12, following a woman determined to protect her family from power struggles. The series will air weeknights at 9 p.m. African Film: At Durban FilmMart, running through October 12, producer Samantha Biffot will discuss taking the Rwanda-Gabonese film Ben’Imana—a Cannes award-winner—to the international stage, including its Ivorian co-production links. Ivorian Music: Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris joined artists from three continents in Abidjan for a Coast to Coast anniversary camp, creating new music and building cross-border collaborations. Photography: The new anthology Street Photography Africa brings together 33 photographers, presenting the street as a space for African artists to shape their own stories and images.

Television: Kadhy Touré’s drama Zanka premieres on NCI on October 12. The series follows a woman protecting her family amid power struggles and will air weekdays at 9 p.m. Film: Durban FilmMart runs October 9–12, with sessions on AI, animation and new formats. Producer Samantha Biffot will discuss taking the Rwanda-Gabonese film Ben’Imana—with Ivorian co-production ties—from an industry pitch to Cannes. Music: Abidjan’s Coast to Coast label marked its 30th anniversary with a nine-day songwriting camp featuring Ivorian artists Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris. Liberian gospel and traditional artist Morris Kings also drew a crowd at an Abidjan showcase celebrating Dan music. Arts & Giving: The Children of Africa gala takes place in Abidjan tonight, with a star lineup including Alpha Blondy, Fally Ipupa and Youssou N’Dour. Organizers hope to raise 5 billion CFA francs for a Treichville youth centre dedicated to sport, arts, culture and leisure. Photography: New anthology Street Photography Africa brings together 33 artists, highlighting photography’s power to shape how African communities represent themselves.

Television: Kadhy Touré’s new drama Zanka premieres on NCI on October 12, airing weekdays at 9 p.m. The series follows a woman protecting her family amid power struggles. Music: Liberian gospel and traditional singer Morris Kings drew an enthusiastic crowd at Abidjan’s Allocodrome during a showcase celebrating Dan music and culture. Celebrity Watch: Footballer Serey Dié and influencer Apoutchou National are among public figures named in an Ivorian investigation into alleged irregularities in land sales; the prosecutor says complaints involve more than 60 people. Live Events: The Children of Africa Foundation’s gala takes place in Abidjan tonight, with Fally Ipupa, Koffi Olomidé, Gims, Dadju, Youssou N’Dour and Alpha Blondy among the announced performers. Proceeds are intended to support a youth centre in Treichville. Industry: Ivorian artists Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris joined an international creative camp in Abidjan marking hip-hop label Coast to Coast’s 30th anniversary.

Celebrity Legal Case: Former Ivorian footballer Serey Dié and influencer Apoutchou National have been named in a financial prosecutor’s investigation into alleged irregularities in land sales. The probe follows complaints from about 60 people; no guilt has been established. Film Industry: Ivorian participation takes the spotlight at Durban FilmMart, where producer Samantha Biffot will discuss how the Rwanda-Gabonese drama Ben’Imana moved from a market pitch to Cannes acclaim, including a FIPRESCI Prize and Caméra d’Or. Culture and Charity: Friday’s Children of Africa gala in Abidjan is set to feature Fally Ipupa, Koffi Olomidé, Gims, Dadju, Alpha Blondy and other stars. The event aims to raise at least 5 billion CFA francs for a Treichville youth centre with spaces for arts, culture, sport and leisure. Ivorian Music: Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris joined artists from three continents in Abidjan for a creative camp marking 30 years of hip-hop label Coast to Coast, with participants collaborating on new tracks.

Music Industry: Ivorian artists Fior 2 Bior and Shado Chris joined about 20 creators in Abidjan for a nine-day camp marking Coast to Coast’s 30th anniversary. The teams made new tracks and built links across Africa, Europe and Latin America. Gala Night: The Children of Africa Foundation’s gala is set for October 9 in Abidjan, with Fally Ipupa, Koffi Olomidé, Gims, Dadju, Youssou N’Dour and Alpha Blondy among the announced performers. Organizers hope to raise CFA5 billion for a youth centre with spaces for arts, culture, sport and leisure. New Release: Ivorian artist Milo has unveiled the “Yaya” music video ahead of an October 24 concert.

Basketball: The Basketball Africa League has unveiled a refurbished court in Abidjan, part of six upgrades across Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal. The project aims to give more young people access to the game. Ivorian Music: Gospel singer Milo has released the video for “Yaya” ahead of his October 24 concert at the Abidjan Exhibition Center, where he is preparing to perform for 6,500 fans. Rising Talent: Ivorian prospect Nathan Djako earned Defensive MVP at an NBA showcase in Abu Dhabi, competing alongside 35 high-school players from 14 other countries.