Uganda's Nyege Nyege festival returns in November with a live Wakaliwood film shoot

Organisers of Nyege Nyege, East Africa's best-known electronic music festival, have confirmed that its 11th edition will run from 19 to 22 November 2026 at Kalagala Falls on the River Nile in Uganda, near Jinja, themed "The Wakaliwood Edition."

The festival's early-bird "Die Hard" ticket tier, priced at UGX 100,000 (about US$27) and covering all four days, is on sale only until 30 September 2026 — tomorrow — according to the festival's official website, festival.nyegenyege.com. Later ticket tiers and full pricing have not yet been published; organisers say further details will appear on the site once the early-bird window closes.

A festival that becomes a film set

For its 11th year, Nyege Nyege is merging with Wakaliwood, the ultra-low-budget action-film scene based in Wakaliga, a suburb of Kampala best known internationally for films such as "Who Killed Captain Alex?" Founder Isaac G.G. Nabwana (also known professionally as Nabwana I.G.G.), who built the studio from scavenged equipment and homemade special effects, has confirmed a collaboration under which parts of the festival grounds will operate as a live set for a new Wakaliwood production, Pulse Uganda reported. Festivalgoers will be able to appear as extras in scenes filmed during the four days.

Nyege Nyege co-founder Derek Debru told Pulse Uganda that after ten editions, organisers "wanted to enter this next chapter around creating with what you have" — a nod to Wakaliwood's own scrappy, resourceful film-making ethos. Aly Allibhai, chief executive of event promoter Talent Africa, said the expanded programme aims to "showcase Uganda's originality, energy and cultural influence," according to the same report.

More than 200 artists across seven stages

Organisers say more than 200 artists will perform across seven stages this year, spanning genres from traditional music and reggae to electronic, singeli and afrobeats, according to the festival's website. Confirmed acts include Ugandan singer King Saha, singer Etania and the Abeeka Band, alongside dedicated stage takeovers featuring Kenyan and Rwandan artists, Pulse Uganda and the festival's own materials said. A returning Dub & Reggae stage and a livestream partnership with Boiler Room, the online music platform, are also part of this year's programme.

On-site camping capacity has been expanded to around 1,000, with the neighbouring Adrift River Club integrated into the festival grounds to offer white-water rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping and sunset cruises on the Nile, according to the festival's website. Uganda Waragi, the spirits brand, has renewed its festival sponsorship for a further three years, including a tree-planting initiative, Pulse Uganda reported.

Industry conference precedes the festival

A second African Electronic Music Conference, aimed at artists, labels, promoters and cultural organisations working in African electronic and alternative music, will run from 17 to 19 November 2026 at the same venue, immediately before the festival, according to the festival's own materials. Sessions are expected to focus on touring and mobility, artist development and creative infrastructure.

A festival that has weathered political pressure

Nyege Nyege began in 2015 as a small underground gathering near Jinja and has grown into one of Africa's largest music festivals, drawing international performers and press attention. It has not always run smoothly: in 2018 a government minister moved to cancel it on moral grounds before the decision was reversed, and in 2022 Uganda's Parliament voted to ban the festival over accusations that it promoted "immorality," a ban that then-prime minister Robinah Nabbanja overturned within a day, Africanews reported at the time.

Its 11th edition, expanding into film production and an industry conference, suggests the festival has moved past those disputes towards a more settled place on East Africa's cultural calendar. Full lineup announcements and later ticket tiers are expected on the festival's official website in the coming weeks.