Beneath the watchful gaze of the illustrious Kwame Nkrumah, at the heart of his mausoleum in Accra, the curtain rose on the fourth edition of the African Music Business Dialogue (AMBD) on March 28, 2025. This event resonated like a symphony of African ambitions, orchestrating strategic meetings and in-depth discussions on the evolution of a rapidly transforming music industry.
The 2025 edition, under the evocative theme « Unlocking Africa’s Creative Potential », set out to unleash the continent’s creative energies and establish African music as a major economic and cultural force.
A Grand Opening in Fanfares
From the very first moments, excitement was palpable. Artists, producers, managers, specialized lawyers, streaming platforms, and cultural institutions gathered at this historical site in Ghana, ready to harmonize their voices for a high-frequency dialogue.
Enoch ‘Trigmatic’ Nana Yaw Oduro-Agyei, musician and founder of the AMBD, set the tone:
“African music must no longer play in silence on the global stage. Our rhythms make the world vibrate; it is time for our artists and entrepreneurs to fully reap the rewards.”
This statement highlighted the urgent need for better structuring of the African music industry to ensure fairer and more effective monetization of the continent’s talent.
When Music Meets Economy: The Key Highlights
The AMBD 2025 was structured around several panels, exploring crucial themes shaping the future of the industry:
- « The Power of Music Tourism »: This panel highlighted the role of music in enhancing the continent’s tourism appeal. Festivals, concerts, and musical events attract thousands of visitors each year, boosting local economies through hospitality, gastronomy, and transportation.
- Copyrights and Royalties: How can creators secure fair compensation in an ever-evolving digital landscape? Bobby Banson, a specialized lawyer, emphasized the urgency of improved regulations and greater transparency in rights management.
- Streaming and Digital Distribution: With the rise of platforms such as Boomplay, Audiomack, and Spotify, African music consumption is undergoing a revolution. Zamani Ndimane, a consultant at Def Jam, shared strategies for maximizing online revenue and reaching a global audience.
- Developing Sustainable Careers: From performing on stage to entrepreneurship, the path of an African artist no longer stops at entertaining crowds. Albert Sarpong, director of Cinema 57, underscored the importance of diversifying income streams and building a strong personal brand.
An Orchestra of United Voices for the Future
The AMBD 2025 was also a unique networking opportunity, where exchanges between artists, producers, and investors sparked promising new collaborations.
« Africa is not lacking in talent; it simply needs to unite its strengths to compose its own economic and cultural symphony, » reiterated Nana Yaw Oduro-Agyei.
Echoing these ambitions, the event saw concrete proposals emerge: the creation of an investment fund dedicated to African music, the drafting of a common charter for copyright management, and the strengthening of links between the continent’s Anglophone and Francophone markets.
A Grand Finale, A Future to Build
As the final echoes of this edition linger in the minds of participants, one thing remains certain: African music has never been closer to an industrial and cultural revolution.
Once again, the African Music Business Dialogue has proven that beyond melodies, an entire economy pulses to the rhythm of African beats. From the shadows to the spotlight, from passion to professionalization, the African music industry is composing its greatest masterpiece yet.
The question is no longer if African music will dominate the world, but when. And judging by the energy that swept through this summit, the grand symphony is about to begin.
