Rema Kigali Concert Pushes Forward Despite Calls to Reconsider
The Nigerian Afrobeats star remains scheduled to headline the September 5 Kwita Izina Concert at BK Arena, while organizers continue expanding the lineup despite online calls for him to reconsider the Kigali appearance.
KIGALI, Rwanda — August 22, 2026 — Rema’s planned concert in Kigali is moving forward, with organizers continuing preparations for the Nigerian superstar to headline the Kwita Izina Concert at BK Arena on September 5.
The latest official information shows no sign that the performance has been cancelled or postponed.
In an August 21 announcement by the Rwanda Development Board, Rema was confirmed as the headline act for the concert, which will take place one day after Rwanda’s 21st Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony in Kinigi, Musanze District.
Organizers have also started expanding the bill. Rwandan artist Kivumbi King has been announced among the performers expected to share the stage with Rema, while additional Rwandan and regional acts are due to be revealed.
Rwandan outlet BTN Rwanda reported on August 21 that Rema will perform alongside Kivumbi King and other artists whose names are expected to be announced later.
The continued rollout suggests that, for now, organizers are proceeding with the September 5 event as planned.
Calls for Rema to reconsider the Kigali show
The concert announcement has drawn criticism from some Congolese social-media users, who have urged Rema to reconsider performing in Rwanda because of the continuing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
ENTERTAINMENT
Rema Kigali Concert Moves Ahead Despite Calls to Reconsider"
Aug 23, 2026
Aug 24, 2026
6 min read
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Rema Kigali Concert Pushes Forward Despite Calls to Reconsider
The Nigerian Afrobeats star remains scheduled to headline the September 5 Kwita Izina Concert at BK Arena, while organizers continue expanding the lineup despite online calls for him to reconsider the Kigali appearance.
KIGALI, Rwanda — August 22, 2026 — Rema’s planned concert in Kigali is moving forward, with organizers continuing preparations for the Nigerian superstar to headline the Kwita Izina Concert at BK Arena on September 5.
The latest official information shows no sign that the performance has been cancelled or postponed.
In an August 21 announcement by the Rwanda Development Board, Rema was confirmed as the headline act for the concert, which will take place one day after Rwanda’s 21st Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony in Kinigi, Musanze District.
Organizers have also started expanding the bill. Rwandan artist Kivumbi King has been announced among the performers expected to share the stage with Rema, while additional Rwandan and regional acts are due to be revealed.
Rwandan outlet BTN Rwanda reported on August 21 that Rema will perform alongside Kivumbi King and other artists whose names are expected to be announced later.
The continued rollout suggests that, for now, organizers are proceeding with the September 5 event as planned.
Calls for Rema to reconsider the Kigali show
The concert announcement has drawn criticism from some Congolese social-media users, who have urged Rema to reconsider performing in Rwanda because of the continuing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Some of those reacting online have pointed to Nigerian singer Tems, who cancelled a scheduled Kigali performance in early 2025 as fighting intensified in eastern Congo.
Tems had been due to perform at BK Arena on March 22, 2025. She withdrew from the concert in January, saying she had promoted the event without fully understanding the situation surrounding the conflict and apologizing for appearing insensitive to people affected by it.
Her cancellation was reported by Africanews on January 31, 2025.
That decision has since become a reference point in online campaigns directed at international artists booked to perform in Kigali.
In March 2026, the Human Rights Foundation publicly urged Doja Cat to cancel a Rwanda performance, explicitly citing Tems’ earlier decision as an example. The appeal was connected to concerns about Rwanda’s role in the eastern DRC conflict.
There is currently no indication that Rema has made the same decision.
As of August 22, no public statement from Rema or his team announcing a cancellation of the September 5 concert has been identified, while the event continues to be promoted in Rwanda.
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Conflict remains part of the debate
The criticism surrounding international performances in Kigali comes against the backdrop of continuing scrutiny of Rwanda over the war in eastern DRC.
In February 2025, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2773, calling on the Rwanda Defence Force to stop supporting M23 and withdraw from Congolese territory.
A later 2025 report by the UN Group of Experts said the Rwanda Defence Force played a critical role in AFC/M23’s territorial expansion in North and South Kivu.
Rwanda has disputed accusations surrounding its role in the conflict and has repeatedly raised the threat posed by the FDLR, an armed group operating in eastern DRC with historical links to perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
The political dispute has increasingly spilled into sport, tourism and entertainment, where appearances by major international celebrities can quickly become the focus of wider campaigns and debate.
Organizers continue building the concert
Despite that pressure, there are presently more signs of the Kigali concert advancing than retreating.
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The addition of Kivumbi King means organizers are now moving beyond the initial Rema announcement and beginning to reveal the supporting lineup.
The September 5 show is part of the wider Kwita Izina programme. RDB previously announced that the 2026 celebrations would include conservation activities, screenings, community events and concerts around the September 4 gorilla naming ceremony.
According to the official Kwita Izina programme announcement, 22 baby mountain gorillas are expected to receive names during this year’s ceremony.
Rema is being positioned as the main international music attraction for the closing concert in Kigali.
The Afrobeats star has performed in Rwanda before, but his planned return now comes under significantly different regional circumstances, with the eastern Congo conflict placing greater political attention on international entertainment events staged in Kigali.
For now, however, the status of the concert remains unchanged: Rema is still listed as the September 5 headliner, Kivumbi King has joined the lineup, and organizers are continuing preparations despite calls for the Nigerian star to reconsider the performance.
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