African music industry could generate nearly $300m annually in Nigeria and Kenya, MEDI study finds

Ieva Oxenbury, researcher and consultant at the Music Economy Development Initiative (MEDI), presented the findings during a panel discussion titled Music Roundtable – Rights, Royalties and Revenue in African Music. The session was moderated by CISAC regional director for Africa Samuel Sangwa and featured the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) regional director Angela Ndambuki, Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) director general Obi Asika, Chocolate City Music executive vice-president Aibee Abidoye and SACEM director of International Development for Africa Akotchayé Okio.

The research estimates that Nigeria could generate approximately $230 million annually from its music industry, while Kenya could generate about $55 million if their music rights systems operated effectively. The projected revenue would benefit songwriters, performers and producers, while contributing to employment and tax revenue.

MEDI, which stands for Music Economy Development Initiative, is a non-profit partnership involving the Center for Music Ecosystems, Global Citizen and more than 50 organisations inside and outside the music industry. It focuses on providing data and developing policy frameworks to strengthen music as an economic sector.

Oxenbury said Africa’s growing international music presence was not being matched by its share of global music revenue.

According to figures presented, Nigerian artists generated approximately 30 billion streams on Spotify in 2025, earning close to $44 million. South African artists earned more than $30 million, with 74% of their revenue coming from listeners outside the country. In Egypt, more than 80% of recorded music revenue came from international markets.

However, Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for approximately 0.4% of the global recorded music market, which was valued at around $120 million in 2025, despite the continent being home to approximately 18% of the world's population.

African songwriters’ collective management organisations (CMOs) also account for approximately 0.6% of global collections, with most of the revenue concentrated in a small number of markets.

Oxenbury attributed the gap partly to differences in streaming revenue, noting that estimates suggest streams in African markets generate between 25% and 50% of the revenue earned from streams in the United States and Europe.

She said the continent’s music industry faced several structural challenges, including inadequate rights management infrastructure, outdated copyright legislation, limited access to international royalty collection networks and weak enforcement against piracy.

According to the presentation, approximately 80% of African countries have a CMO representing songwriters, while around 60% have organisations representing performers or producers. However, the existence of these organisations does not necessarily mean they are actively collecting and distributing royalties.

International connections also remain limited. Only 19 African countries have songwriter CMOs affiliated with the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), most of which are provisional members. IFPI works with 17 producer CMOs across 16 countries, while only three countries have performers’ organisations affiliated with the Societies’ Council for the Collective Management of Performers’ Rights (SCAPR).

These gaps make it difficult to identify rights holders and collect royalties generated when African music is used in other territories.

The research also highlighted limited access to digital music services. Although streaming platforms operate in almost every African country, only about 22% of the continent’s population lives in areas where streaming is both affordable and widely used. Oxenbury identified internet connectivity and mobile data costs as major obstacles to wider access.

Copyright legislation was another concern. The presentation found that almost 70% of African countries had not updated their copyright laws since before 2017, when streaming became the largest source of recorded music revenue globally.

While almost every African country applies the Berne Convention standards for authors, only about 20% have joined the Rome Convention, which covers performers and producers. Approximately 35% have joined international treaties addressing digital copyright protection.

Oxenbury said gaps in treaty membership affected the protection of African performers and producers when their music was used abroad, limiting the benefits they could receive from international exploitation.

The research further found that 67% of African countries have a national culture policy, but only three have a dedicated music policy. More than half of the existing culture policies were developed before 2017.

She argued that music being an economic engine, should not only be a responsibility of culture sector, but the whole government and culture/music policy, IP policy, telecoms policy and other respective policies should be interconnected when considering music as a driver of economic growth.

Piracy and weak copyright enforcement were also identified as significant barriers to industry growth. According to the figures presented, approximately 66% of internet users in Nigeria reported using unlicensed or illegal methods to access music. In Kenya, visits to music piracy websites exceeded 59 million within a year.

The presentation also highlighted stream ripping, in which online music streams are converted into downloadable files, as well as streaming fraud involving automated accounts generating artificial plays to divert royalty payments.

Oxenbury called for stronger enforcement measures against piracy and unlicensed music use, alongside more affordable legal access to music. She also highlighted the need for cooperation between cultural authorities, telecommunications regulators, law enforcement agencies and the courts.

She said copyright compliance could be incorporated into broadcasting licence requirements to encourage radio and television stations to obtain the necessary permissions and pay royalties.

MEDI seeks to increase the value of Africa’s music copyright sector five-fold over the next decade, reaching $1.25 billion. Oxenbury said the objective was to ensure that more of the revenue generated by African music remained within the continent.

The presentation formed part of CANEX WKND 2026, which is taking place in Lagos, Nigeria, from 5 to 8 November under the theme One People, United in Culture, Creating for the World. The event, organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, brings together stakeholders from across the creative industries to discuss investment, intellectual property, trade and business development.