Mdundo and Universal Music ink licensing deal

The deal will see Mdundo provide UMG’s extensive catalogue to its 17 million active monthly users across the continent. It will also increase Universal Music Africa’s (UMA’s) reach within the African market in line with Mdundo’s ambitions for growth.

Mdundo CEO Martin Nielsen says the platform’s focus is to provide a relevant service to millions of potential users in Africa.

“In recent years, Mdundo has reported explosive growth, from 5 million monthly users in June 2020 to an expected 19 to 20 million monthly active users in June 2022 and a 225% growth in revenue for the year ending June 2022,” he said. 

“As the leading music company globally, we are extremely pleased to work with Universal Music towards our vision of providing Africa with an easy and legal solution to accessing music that fits the local consumers.”

Mdundo’s growth has primarily been achieved in Nigeria, with additional growth in Tanzania, Kenya and Ghana. The music service has been focusing on securing music rights for African catalogues and in the last year announced partnerships with telecommunication companies such as Vodacom Tanzania, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria.

UMA has been growing its reach on the continent and has two established regional headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Abidjan, Ivory Coast. It also has offices in Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Kenya and Morocco. 

Universal Music South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa CEO Sipho Dlamini said: “We welcome Mdundo as a partner and are excited to provide its users greater access to some of Africa’s most exciting musical talent, as well as UMG’s unrivalled catalogue of international artists.”

UMG’s executive vice-president for Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Ulrik Cahn, said: “Martin and his team have built an impressive platform for African artists, and we look forward to working together to expand the footprint for our African and international talent within the continent. 

"UMG is committed to helping build out the continent’s entire music ecosystem, helping artists succeed locally and regionally, while also introducing African music culture and content to new audiences around the world.”

In recent years, UMG has launched a series imprints on the continent, including Def Jam Africa, Blue Note Africa and Motown Gospel Africa.