Over 2000 people attended AniWeCon 2026 in Lagos as Nigeria’s anime community continues to develop beyond fan gatherings into a market for gaming, merchandise, content creation and entertainment partnerships. The one day convention, held on August 15 at Paradise Event Arena, Yaba, brought together anime fans, gamers, cosplayers, content creators, vendors and entertainment companies for an event,the event featured 42 commercial booths alongside gaming tournaments, screenings, performances and industry discussions.
AniWeCon, organised by AniWe Convention, has grown from smaller community gatherings into a wider anime, gaming and pop culture ecosystem. The organisation says its community now includes more than 10,000 anime enthusiasts, over 700 dedicated gamers and more than 200,000 followers, while its activities have expanded to conventions, cinema watch parties, merchandise and online communities. The growth is also reflected in AniWe’s activities before the 2026 convention.
In 2025, the organisation recorded more than 500 attendees at its Solo Leveling watch party in Lagos and Ile-Ife, while its Demon Slayer watch party in Lagos and Abuja was held alongside FilmOne Entertainment and Silverbird Cinemas. AniWe said the Demon Slayer events sold out in both cities, while FilmOne reported N73 million in release-day sales for the film.
At AniWeCon 2026, the commercial side of the community was visible through 42 vendors selling anime merchandise, manga, artwork and apparel. Gaming companies, entertainment businesses and other brands also participated in the event, giving businesses access to an audience built around anime, gaming and wider pop culture. The convention also included tournaments for titles such as Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Clash Royale, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Naruto Storm 4, alongside virtual reality, racing and arcade gaming zones.
Cosplay was another major part of the programme, with competitions across female, male and group categories. Cindy won the female category for her portrayal of Frieren,