By the time dawn washes over Kalagala Falls and the forest glows in pale gold, Nyege Nyege has already worked its charm. It has blended strangers into one community, turned beats into memories, and transformed Uganda from a place on the map into an emotion. Anyone who has danced beside the Nile at 3am, eaten a Rolex straight off the pan, or heard a dozen languages drift through the night knows the truth: once you experience Nyege Nyege, Uganda becomes a story you carry with you.

This 10th anniversary edition — staged at its new home, Adrift Overland Camp & River Club above Kalagala Falls — felt like a rebirth. No storms. No interruptions. Just four days of rhythm, colour, and pure creative freedom.

A festival finds its footing

Nyege Nyege has wandered across the Nile Valley for years — from Nile Discovery to Itanda, Jinja Golf Course and beyond — but something settled comfortably at Kalagala Falls. The river thundered below, the forest formed a natural amphitheatre, and neon lights danced off the water. For once, the skies stayed open and bright. No mudslides, no frantic tarp shelters — just sandals, patra shorts, and the signature festival ease.

Shifting from Busoga to Buganda changed the equation entirely. Thousands camped on-site, and the usually quiet Kayunga stretch along the Nile morphed into one of the country’s busiest tourism corridors. Tent rentals shot up — Shs240,000 for a single, Shs340,000 for a double — and even self-campers paid for space. Everyone, from tent dealers to boda riders, found a way to cash in.

The Nyege economy

Behind the lasers and bass lies a festival economy that has reshaped communities for a decade. Homes become guesthouses. Yards turn into camps. Youth become vendors, fixers, and guides. As Ms Sandra Nanteza of Bystays describes it, it’s a quiet “tourism revolution” where grandmothers host travellers and students run mini-lodges.

A 2024 Resident Advisor estimate valued the festival’s economic impact at over $2 million (Shs7 billion) — most of it flowing directly to hotels, food stalls, artisans and small businesses.

Walk the grounds at 2am and that economy pulses around you: Rolex stands steaming, grills sizzling, tie-dye artists and anklet makers selling nonstop, boda riders weaving through crowds, and adventure operators fully booked. For Raft Uganda’s Dennis Ntege, Nyege Nyege is not just a party — it is jobs, demand and a major boost to adventure tourism.

A cultural force

In ten years, Nyege Nyege has grown beyond festival status — it is now a cultural institution. Through Nyege Nyege Tapes, Uganda’s experimental and underground sound has travelled to global stages, birthing international careers for artists like MC Yallah, Kampire, Catu Diosis and Alpha Otim.

As corporate sponsorship grew and crowds diversified, the music mix shifted. Afrobeats and dancehall dominated the late 2010s. But this year marked a return to the festival’s identity: bold DJs, experimental sound, and the raw creativity that first made Nyege Nyege iconic.

Fik Fameica, Skrillex, Suuna Ben — and a night of broken branches

Across five stages — Hakuna Kulala, Portal, Dark Star, Sunrise and Ubuntu — the entertainment never slowed.

Fik Fameica’s Friday set became the festival’s emotional peak. From the moment he stepped out, the crowd echoed every lyric, turning his performance into a collective release. For one hour he delivered hit after hit, earning a roar that made it clear he owned the night.

Saturday delivered its own electric moment: a northern dance troupe whose thunderous drums and synchronized choreography sent the crowd into a frenzy of whistles and vuvuzelas. Skrillex, the international headliner, lit up parts of the audience, but it was Suuna Ben who delivered the most powerful cultural takeover. When festivalgoers tore branches from nearby trees and waved them like ceremonial staffs, it was clear — in a festival full of global stars, a Ugandan DJ reclaimed the centre.

Highs, lows and what’s next

This year, Nyege Nyege finally unfolded without controversy or chaos. The weather cooperated, crowds swelled, and the local economy prospered. Musically, the festival returned to its roots. And perhaps most meaningful was the growing support from surrounding communities, who now see the event as part of their identity.

Still, challenges linger. Ticket prices pushed many Ugandans out. The festival’s groundbreaking role in exporting underground music remains underappreciated locally. Transport gaps, especially at night, caused frustration. And after relocating four times in ten years, Nyege Nyege still lacks a permanent home where culture, infrastructure and community partnerships can fully grow.

Beyond the music

To tourism leaders like Dr. Lilly Ajarova, the festival is a catalyst — an entry point that can turn a weekend dancer into a long-stay tourist and rural villages into micro-tourism hubs. Diplomats like Judyth Nsababera call it a “live portrait of Uganda’s diversity and creativity.” Business voices such as Simon Kaheru see it as a crossroads — where partnerships, ideas and regional connections can form as easily as friendships on the dance floor.

Ten years later, the country’s rhythm remains

Nyege Nyege has weathered bans, moral debates, floods and political tension. Yet each year, it reinvents itself — refusing to be defined by crisis and choosing instead to define Uganda’s cultural spirit. A decade in, it remains a pulse, a gathering, a reminder that creativity survives — and dances — through anything.