Warner Music Africa (WMA) plans to establish a new creative hub in Lagos, Nigeria.
The move will mark Warner’s first fully owned office in the market. WMA said the expansion into Lagos will allow it to “provide additional A&R, operations and marketing expertise to Nigeria’s creative ecosystem”.
WMA’s planned expansion in Nigeria comes amid significant growth in the recorded music industry in the wider Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the fastest growing music region in 2023, according to IFPI.
Recorded music revenue grows in sub-Saharan Africa 24.7% According to IFPI, by 2023, 24.5% Paid streaming revenue increased.
Ahead of the opening of the new office in Lagos, Warner Music Africa’s management team includes Alfonso Perez-Soto, President, Warner Music Emerging Markets; Laverne Thomas, WMA Head of Operations; Temi Adeniji, WMA Managing Director and Africori Executive Governor Yoel Kenan met with government officials in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, last week.
According to Warner Music Group, during this “pivotal journey”, senior-level meetings were held with key government officials to “build key relationships and support WMA’s mission of empowering Nigeria’s vibrant creative industries”.
During a visit by Warner’s senior executive team last week, they met with two of Nigeria’s top ministers and a special adviser to the president.
These include: Ayodele Olawande, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Youth Development, who has provided insights into youth empowerment initiatives and plays a vital role in the creative sector of national development. They also met with the country’s Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Minister Hannatu Musawa, as well as prominent Nigerian lawyers and politicians.
The WMG team also met with Adeagbo (Oluwadunsin) Ayomide, Special Adviser to the President on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.
WMG said the meeting in Nigeria underscored its “long-term commitment” to the market.
In 2019, Warner Music Group invested in Nigeria-based independent music company Chocolate City, a deal WMG said at the time would “significantly expand the reach of African artists around the world and create new opportunities for the region’s global superstars.” Chance” .
In 2022, Warner Music Group acquired a majority stake in Africori, a leading African music distribution, music rights management and artist development company with offices in Johannesburg, London and Lagos.
WMG first invested in Africori in early 2020. Warner Chappell Music, WMG’s publishing arm, also signed a global agreement with Africori in 2020.
In addition, the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund (WMG/BFF SJF) donated more than $400,000 Providing assistance to Nigeria’s creative sector through its repertoire and core funds.
For example, it contributes $200,000 2022 West African Vocational Education and $150,000 In 2023, head to the Salz Academy, which nurtures emerging talent in music production.
Meanwhile, WMG noted on Wednesday (May 22) that the leadership of Temi Adeniji and Alfonso Perez-Soto “has been instrumental in driving the global success of Warner Music’s global artists in Africa and its local repertoire”.
According to WMG, they have played a “pivotal role” in signing and promoting Nigerian superstar artists Kayewhose viral single aianwanditi It has been a huge success and was recently certified 8x Platinum in the US.
Additionally, WMA recently signed 26-year-old Nigerian singer-songwriter Joe Boywho accumulated 2000000000 Traffic over the past five years.
As part of the deal, Joeboy created his own record label, young legend The company will partner with Warner Music Africa to distribute the artist’s music globally.
Earlier this week, Temi Adeniji, Managing Director of Warner Music Africa and Senior Vice President of Warner Sub-Saharan Africa, joined the MBW Podcast to discuss the rise of African music and more.global music business
