YouTube Music Supports 2 Nigerian Organizations To Boost The Creative Space 

YouTube Music’s teams up with Briteswan and iManage Africa Entertainment Limited 

Briteswan and iManage Africa Entertainment Limited will receive funding to assist them scale up their projects to grow music creatives on the continent, in keeping with YouTube Music’s commitment to the development of the African creative business.

This change is expected to have a direct impact on an estimated 300 participants in these organizations’ projects.

YouTube Music today reinforced its commitment to empowering African creative voices by granting cash grants, capacity development training, and consulting services to two organizations that cultivate and export African creative talent.

iManage Africa Entertainment Limited’s ‘Music Business Academy for Africa (MBA)’ is an initiative dedicated to developing a more informed and empowered workforce for the African music and entertainment industry. Briteswan’s ‘The Audiogirl initiative’ aims to economically empower women by closing the gender gap in the music creation segment.

“We are committed to exporting African music to listeners across the world and want to continue to play our part in the development of the continent’s rapidly growing creative economy especially with respect to music”, says Addy Awofisayo, YouTube’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa.

Access to the internet has allowed African creatives to showcase their abilities to a worldwide audience, resulting in the creation of jobs that can help build national economies. In 2020, the creative sector in Nigeria accounted for over 730 billion Naira (approximately 1.8 billion USD) of the country’s GDP.

YouTube will assist the two organizations grow their continuing efforts to help more young African creatives learn and gain the skills they need to develop their art and market their music throughout the world through this program.

“The rise of Nigeria’s globally celebrated musical artists points to the opportunities that exist in the creative economy. As we work towards the post-Covid 19 recovery of industries, it is important to be intentional about unearthing brimming talent and potential among creatives – many of whom are young people.

“YouTube Music’s dedication to the growth of music creatives in the region is well-timed and commended”, says Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Youths and Sports Development.

YouTube has been instrumental in bringing African culture to the attention of a worldwide audience in recent years. Burna Boy, who won the Grammy’s Global Music Award in 2021 for his album “Twice as Tall” and has now been nominated for a Grammy Award for the third time, was featured on YouTube in 2018 as an Artist on the Rise.

In 2019, YouTube announced a partnership with Mr Eazi’s empawa Africa to help 10 local artists in developing their skill. Tems and Bella Shmurda have also been chosen to participate in YouTube Music’s Foundry international artist development program in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

YouTube Music also deepened investments in Black communities by opening applications to the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022, aimed at enabling Black artists, songwriters and producers worldwide to commercialise their work. Eight African artists, songwriters and producers were admitted to the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022.

“We see the support given to the two Nigerian pan-African organizations as a partnership for the advancement of music creatives in Africa who in-turn will be key players that contribute positively towards the emerging creative sector in the continent”, Awofisayo concludes.