Davido picked an interesting moment to announce his next big stage. Just as he shared a teaser for a new song featuring his wife, Chioma, captioned “Already Falling. From us to you,” the Afrobeats star confirmed he will be closing out the year in Côte d’Ivoire.
He is set to perform at the fifth edition of the Mother Africa Festival, running December 27 and 28 in Marcory Zone 4, Abidjan. It is an anniversary year for the event, and Davido is leading the line-up.
He was not shy about the hype. “From Lagos to Abidjan, we’re ending the year strong! I’m performing at Mother Africa Festival on the 27th and 28th of December in Abidjan, Marcory Zone 4,” he said.
He kept going from there. 5th edition anniversary year, it’s going to be special. Ivory Coast, I know how you move. I come with all the energy, we’re closing the year together right!”
That line about knowing how Ivorian fans move is more than stage talk. Abidjan has a deep dance culture of its own, built around coupé décalé, and Nigerian Afrobeats has long found an eager audience there.
A Davido set in that city is a meeting of two scenes that have been trading influence for years.
The festival has grown quickly to get to this point. In five years, Mother Africa has positioned itself as one of West Africa’s premier end of year music gatherings, and booking one of the biggest names on the continent for the anniversary edition is a clear statement of ambition.
There is another way to read the move, though. Late December is peak Detty December season in Lagos, when the city’s concert calendar is packed and the biggest Nigerian stars are usually in high demand at home.
Spending those dates in Abidjan suggests Davido sees real value in showing up for fans beyond Nigeria at the most competitive time of the year.
Then there is the Chioma track, which might end up being the bigger talking point. Fans have followed the couple’s story for years, from the 2018 hit “Assurance” that was widely seen as a love letter to her, to their lavish wedding in Lagos in 2024.
Hearing Chioma actually on a record is a different thing entirely, and the “from us to you” caption frames it as a joint gift rather than a typical single drop.
Davido has also been busy on the release front this year. His album “5ive” arrived in April 2025, and a festive season duet with his wife would keep that momentum rolling into the new year.
No full release date for the new song has been confirmed yet. That leaves fans heading to Marcory Zone 4 with an obvious question: could Abidjan be the first crowd to hear it live?
