First major act announced for Africa Oyé 2026

Africa Oyé has revealed the first two international acts heading to Sefton Park for its 2026 festival, with Nigerian Afrobeats star Patoranking and Congolese eco-punk collective Fulu Miziki confirmed for the line-up.

Returning in June 2026 as a ticketed event for the first time, Africa Oyé remains the UK’s biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture, bringing global talent and community-led creativity back to Liverpool.

Making his Liverpool debut at the festival, Patoranking is one of the most influential names in contemporary Afrobeats. The multi-award-winning Nigerian artist is known for blending Afrobeats with reggae and dancehall, earning international recognition for both his sound and his role as a cultural ambassador for African music.

An MTV Africa Music Awards winner and a Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honouree, Patoranking rose to prominence with his 2016 hit My Woman My Everything. Since then, releases on his own Amari Musiq label, including Babylon, Abule and Kolo Kolo, alongside collaborations with Major Lazer, Wizkid and Davido, have helped his music rack up close to a billion YouTube streams.

Joining him on the bill is Fulu Miziki, a Kinshasa-based collective whose name loosely translates as “music from garbage”. The group were due to appear at Oyé in 2024 but missed out due to travel disruption, making their 2026 appearance a long-awaited return.

Fulu Miziki describe themselves as an eco-friendly Afro-futuristic punk collective, creating instruments, costumes and masks from recycled materials. Based in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, their work combines music, performance and activism, delivering a powerful pan-African message about artistic freedom, peace and environmental responsibility. Their philosophy centres on the idea that everything can be recovered and re-enchanted.

Paul Duhaney is the Artistic Director of Africa Oyé, and he thinks bringing both acts to Liverpool felt like a perfect fit for the festival.

He said: “Patoranking is a giant of Afrobeats and an artist we’re delighted to be able to bring to Liverpool this summer. Alongside being an incredible performer, his commitment to championing young talent and sharing positive African stories really aligns with the ethos of Oyé.

“With Fulu Miziki, it was a no-brainer to book them after they were unable to perform at our last festival. They’re an unforgettable live act and absolutely worth the wait.”

Africa Oyé began in 1992 as a series of gigs in Liverpool city centre, growing out of the Club Corinto nights organised by the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign. Over the past 33 years, the festival has taken place across the city, including Birkenhead Park, Princes Park and Concert Square, before finding a permanent home in Sefton Park in 2002.

The festival returns on 20 and 21 June 2026 following a fallow year in 2025, caused by rising infrastructure costs and changes to legislation that made it increasingly difficult to keep the event free.

While 2026 marks the first time Oyé will be ticketed in Sefton Park, organisers say they are committed to keeping it accessible. Liverpool City Region residents can currently secure earlybird tickets for £11, with children under 12 attending for free with a paying adult, and discounts available for group bookings.

Alongside international headliners and emerging artists, the weekend will once again feature community performances, family-friendly workshops, DJs, world food, arts and crafts.

Tickets are on sale now via TicketQuarter and The Africa Oyé website.

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