Maya Awards Africa, the youth-focused platform founded by Ademola Titilopemi Ajibola, popularly known as Ademola MoreKlue, is set to return with its 11th edition, tagged the “Launchpad Edition.”

Scheduled for August 11 to 16, 2026, in Ibadan, Oyo State, the week-long programme is designed to move beyond the traditional celebration of young achievers by creating a practical platform for ideas, innovation, talent development and opportunity.

With the theme “Beyond Applause!”, the 2026 edition is expected to bring together young creatives, entrepreneurs, innovators, professionals, community builders and other emerging talents.

According to the organisers, Maya Awards Africa is evolving from an awards platform into a launchpad for the next generation of African changemakers.

For more than a decade, the Maya brand has built a reputation for identifying, celebrating and connecting young people making meaningful contributions across different fields.

Now in its 11th edition, the platform is taking a more ambitious direction.

Rather than simply presenting awards and celebrating achievements, the Launchpad Edition seeks to create pathways through which young people can turn recognition into sustainable impact.

Activities lined up for the programme will centre on youth empowerment, creativity, enterprise, networking, knowledge-sharing and community engagement.

One of the major highlights will come on Wednesday, August 12, when Maya takes its youth-development message to some of Ibadan’s leading tertiary institutions.

As part of the programme, the International Youth Day Tour will visit the University of Ibadan, Lead City University, Abiola Ajimobi Technical University and Kola Daisi University.

Participants are expected to engage students, exchange ideas and reinforce the message that education, creativity, enterprise and innovation can work together in shaping the future.
Rather than waiting for young people to come to the awards platform, Maya will take its message directly to campuses where many emerging entrepreneurs, professionals, innovators and leaders are being shaped.

By Friday, August 14, the programme will move into its social and networking phase with the Arrival Ball, scheduled for 7 p.m. sharp at De Manchy Hotel, Felele, Ibadan.

Guests, nominees, participants and members of the Maya community will have an opportunity to meet, network and set the tone for the weekend.

Come Saturday, August 15, attention will shift to the Main Awards Gala at Mauve21 Events Centre, Ring Road, Ibadan, beginning at 4 p.m. sharp.

The gala will serve as the high point of the Launchpad Edition, bringing together young achievers and stakeholders in the youth-development space for an evening of recognition and celebration.

Activities will continue on Sunday, August 16, with a Winners’ Breakfast Buffet, while the venue will be announced to the award recipients.

Beyond the main ceremony, the breakfast is expected to provide another opportunity for winners to interact, network and share experiences.

Another major development connected to this year’s programme is the official unveiling of the new Maya Dev Hub in Lagos.

According to the vision behind the initiative, the hub represents another dimension of Ajibola’s work with the Maya brand. While the awards celebrate what young people have already accomplished, the Dev Hub focuses on what they can become.

It is designed to provide a space where young minds can learn, collaborate, develop skills and pursue sustainable ventures.

Ajibola, the creative mind behind the Maya brand, has established himself as a youth-development advocate, creative entrepreneur and organiser with an interest in creating platforms where young Nigerians can express themselves and gain recognition.

His work through Maya has focused on changing the narrative around young people.

Rather than portraying young people merely as beneficiaries of opportunities, the platform presents them as creators, innovators and leaders capable of shaping the future.

Ajibola’s journey with Maya has also extended beyond awards, making the choice of “Launchpad” particularly significant.

A launchpad is a point from which something begins a journey towards a greater destination. For Maya Awards Africa, the concept represents the transition from recognition to action.

It is a call for young people to transform applause into influence, ideas into enterprises and talent into lasting impact.

Ajibola believes recognition should not be the end of a young person’s journey. Instead, it should open doors to bigger possibilities. That philosophy explains the theme, “Beyond Applause!”

The 2026 edition is therefore positioned not merely as another awards ceremony, but as a platform aimed at equipping and connecting the next generation.

Over the years, Maya has grown into a platform where young achievers from different sectors receive visibility for their contributions.

Its longevity has also given the brand a distinctive place within youth and creative circles. The 11th edition is expected to consolidate that legacy while introducing a more forward-looking model.

Participants and guests are expected to include young entrepreneurs, creatives, technology enthusiasts, entertainers, media personalities, professionals, social-impact leaders and other stakeholders interested in youth development.

For Ibadan, hosting the week-long programme presents another opportunity to spotlight the city as a growing centre for youth creativity, culture, enterprise and innovation.

As anticipation builds ahead of August 11, attention is shifting to what Maya Awards Africa describes as a new chapter for the platform.

From celebrating what young people have achieved to helping them determine what comes next, the Launchpad Edition seeks to redefine the meaning of an award.

For Ajibola and his team, the message is clear: applause matters, but what comes after it matters even more.

That is the story Maya Awards Africa hopes to tell when its 11th edition takes centre stage in Ibadan from August 11 to 16, 2026.