Following Côte d'Ivoire, which hosted the third edition of the Abidjan International Audiovisual Content Exhibition (SICA) in Abidjan last June, it is now Senegal's turn to launch the first edition of a new event that will bring together media professionals, public institutions, technical partners, and digital companies: the International Media Exhibition of Africa (SIMA), which will take place in Dakar from October 27 to 31, 2025.
"This fair is extremely important because it is intended to be a cultural gathering, an economic gathering, and a quasi-diplomatic gathering that places and re-establishes Senegal on the pan-African and international cultural agenda," said Mactar Silla, coordinator of the SIMA steering committee, at a press conference on Thursday.
SIMA stands out from other events due to its unique pan-African character: it will not be a media fair for Senegal, but an event dedicated to media from across the African continent. It also aims to be multilingual, incorporating various languages to reflect Africa's cultural diversity. Among its strengths is an emphasis on training, aimed at leading to concrete productions, notably with the collaboration of Nigerian audiovisual producers, as Nigeria is now the second largest producer of films and audiovisual content in the world after India.
While SICA is entirely devoted to audiovisual content, SIMA will also focus discussions on the role of the media and their place in society.
SIMA 2025 will feature a rich program combining conferences, panels, practical workshops, and exhibitions. These sessions will aim to address current issues, structural changes, and future prospects in the field of information and communication in Africa.