AFRIMA KICKS OFF 9TH AFRICAN MUSIC BUSINESS SUMMIT, CALLS FOR OWNERSHIP, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The ninth edition of the African Music Business Summit, organised by the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), opened on Thursday at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, with strong calls for ownership, monetisation and youth empowerment within Africa’s rapidly expanding music industry.
Speaking at the opening session, AFRIMA President, Mr Mike Dada, described music as more than entertainment, stressing that it is a powerful economic tool capable of reducing poverty, creating jobs and strengthening Africa’s global influence.
Dada noted that the summit, which has been a core part of every AFRIMA edition, was designed to address the business side of music and ensure that African artists and industry players benefit sustainably from their creativity.
“Music is a humongous economic powerhouse that we can leverage to reduce poverty on the continent, connect Africa with the rest of the world and promote peace globally,” he said.
He lamented that many African artists gain fame but end up in poverty due to weak industry structures, adding that the summit seeks to open minds to new possibilities, foster collaboration and create stronger infrastructure for the music ecosystem.
Dada highlighted the importance of young people, noting that over 70 per cent of Africa’s population is under 35, and said the summit was aimed at connecting them to opportunities within the industry. He also announced that the event lineup includes the Music Village concert, expected to attract between 20,000 and 30,000 attendees, and the AFRIMA Awards ceremony scheduled for Sunday.
He thanked partners and sponsors, including the African Union Commission, Lagos State Government, FirstBank, Guinness, Glenfiddich and several media and international partners, for supporting the initiative.
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the African Union Commission, Ms Angela Martins, Director of Culture, Sport and Social Development, commended AFRIMA for convening the summit and said the theme, “Connect, Build, Own: Monetising Africa’s Music Revolution,” reflects the continent’s current realities.
Martins said African music is now shaping global culture and driving youth-led innovation, adding that the AU recognises music and the wider creative economy as key engines for development, job creation and social cohesion.
She reaffirmed the AU’s commitment, under Agenda 2063, to strengthening intellectual property rights, ensuring fair remuneration for creators and enabling African artists to own and control their creative outputs. She urged stakeholders to focus on building sustainable structures that support collaboration, investment and long-term value creation.
The keynote address was delivered by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Nigeria, Her Excellency Anne Westerholm, who shared Sweden’s music export success story and highlighted lessons Africa could adapt.
Westerholm attributed Sweden’s global music success to factors such as equal access to education, early adoption of technology, strong welfare support for creatives, and a global mindset. She noted that Sweden is one of the world’s leading net exporters of music, with over 90 per cent of its recorded music revenue now coming from streaming.
She described Africa’s music revolution as the most exciting development in global music today, pointing to Nigeria’s growing influence and rising streaming revenues since the launch of platforms such as Spotify.
The ambassador expressed Sweden’s readiness to collaborate with Africa, particularly in areas such as songwriting systems, rights management, live events, technology-driven distribution and cultural exchange.
She concluded by calling for stronger bridges between Africa and Europe, saying Africa’s music industry is no longer a promise but a present reality.
The African Music Business Summit continued with panel discussions, networking sessions and industry engagements aimed at strengthening Africa’s creative economy and positioning African music for greater global impact.
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