The first international acts have been unveiled for this June’s Africa Oyé Festival, set to return to Sefton Park.
Making his long-awaited Liverpool debut, Patoranking will headline Sefton Park with his globally loved blend of Afrobeats, reggae and dancehall.
A multiple award-winning Nigerian artist and cultural ambassador for Afrobeats, Patoranking has earned international acclaim including an MTV Africa Music Award and a place on Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 list. His breakthrough hit My Woman, My Everything helped propel Afrobeats onto the world stage, while later tracks such as Babylon, Abule and Kolo Kolo have continued to rack up huge global audiences.
With collaborations alongside Major Lazer, Wizkid and Davido, Patoranking’s music has amassed nearly one billion YouTube streams, cementing his status as one of Africa’s most influential modern artists.
Also joining the 2026 line-up are the extraordinary Fulu Miziki, who sadly missed their scheduled Sefton Park performance in 2024 due to power cuts at Manchester Airport.
Translating loosely as “music from garbage”, Fulu Miziki are a boundary-pushing Afro-futuristic punk collective from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, known for crafting instruments, costumes and masks entirely from recycled materials. Their performances are chaotic, joyful, political and visually unforgettable.
Describing themselves as artists “from a future where humans have reconciled with Mother Earth”, the collective’s constantly evolving sound delivers a powerful pan-African message of artistic freedom, peace and environmental responsibility. For Fulu Miziki, everything can be recovered, re-enchanted and re-imagined.
Paul Duhaney, Artistic Director Africa Oyé spoke about the decision:
“Patroranking is a giant of Afrobeats and an artist we’re delighted to be able to bring to Liverpool this summer. As well as being a fantastic performer, his commitment to promoting the abundance of positivity coming out of Africa and champoining of young talent from the continent also chimes perfectly with our ethos as a festival.
And with Fulu Miziki, it was a no brainer to book them for this summer after forces outside of their control meant they missed out at our last festival before the fallow year. They’re a sight to behold on stage and I can promise Liverpool that they’ll be worth the wait!”
The Africa Oyé festival began back in 1992 as a series of gigs in Liverpool city centre, originally coming out of the monthly “Club Corinto” nights which were produced by the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign. It’s growth over the last 33 years has seen it taken in multiple venues including Birkenhead Park, Princes Park, and Concert Square. It has taken place in the picturesque surroundings of Sefton Park since 2002.
The UK’s biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture makes its return to Liverpool on 20th and 21st June this summer following a fallow year in 2025 due to rising infrastructure costs, changing legislation, and the increasingly difficult challenge of keeping the event free.
The organisers of the ‘jewel in Liverpool’s festival crown’ are committed to making it as affordable as possible for its audience, with Liverpool City Region dwellers currently able to buy tickets for just £11 – an Earlybird price freeze for locals.
Children under 12 receive free entry to the event (with a paying adult) and there is a discount when buying for groups of four people.
This year’s celebration – taking place on the 20th and 21st June 2026 – will be the first ticketed Oyé in Sefton Park in the festival’s history, as ever delivering an eclectic mix of international live acts, emerging talent, community performances, family friendly workshops, DJs, world cuisine, arts & crafts and much more.
Festival tickets are on sale now here.
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