As part of a major highlight of the 9th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), CNN’s Larry Madowo, the Swedish Ambassador, and Olisa Adibua will lead high-level conversations at the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS) in Lagos.
They will be joined by African music stars and producers, including Juma Jux, Stonebwoy, and ID Cabasa, as well as executives from Universal Music and other key industry leaders.
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The summit will be held on 8 January 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.(WAT) at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria.
The music summit, which is expected to bring together artists, music executives, investors, policymakers, and media professionals, will discuss how Africa can grow, protect, and profit from its expanding music industry.
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AFRIMA promotes and awards African music and talent across the continent and the diaspora, and the 9th edition award ceremony is scheduled to be held from 7 January to 11 January 2026 for the grand finale and the award ceremony.
Summit
The theme of this year’s summit, “Connect, Build, Own: Monetising Africa’s Music Revolution,” reflects AFRIMA’s focus on turning creativity into long-term economic value.
Discussions of the summit will centre on ownership, infrastructure, media, financing, and building a strong music value chain across Africa.
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Speaking ahead of the summit, the President and the Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada, said the Africa Music Business Summit has become a critical platform for shaping the future of African music.
“African music is one of the continent’s strongest cultural exports today, but talent alone is not enough,” Mr Dada said. “The Africa Music Business Summit is designed to help African creatives and industry players understand ownership, structure, and sustainability, so they can fully benefit from the value they create.”
Moreso, the summit will be hosted by award-winning international broadcaster and CNN African Voices Changemakers host, Larry Madowo, with popular television host and actor Mojibade Sosanya serving as co-host.
Ms Madowo will also serve as one of the moderators, while other experienced professionals, including Landry Gnamba from Cote d’Ivoire, Nde Ndifonka from Cameroon, and Victoria Nkong from Nigeria, will moderate panel discussions.
The keynote address will be delivered by the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm.
Music stakeholders
Additionally, several African voices in music, media, law, and policy will also speak at the summit. Confirmed speakers include the CEO of Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Sipho Dlamini; Karima Damir of Universal Music, MENA region, from Morocco; a music executive from Ghana, Francis Doku; and Mustapha Ettouil, a music publisher and international music rights advisor from Morocco.
The speakers also include Georg Heritlitz from Sweden, the Founder of Storm Records, Olisa Adibua, a music executive and Founder of Plug Entertainment, and Bizzle Oshikoya.
Meanwhile, other music superstars are expected to grace the event, legendary Congolese artiste, Kofi Olomide; Nigerian producer, singer, and record executive, ID Cabassa; Innoss B from DR Congo; Tanzanian star, Juma Jux; Ghana’s dancehall crooner, Stonebwoy; and Ivorian rapper Didi B, among others.
Summit agenda
According to the summit organisers, one of the early sessions will focus on building creative economy infrastructure to generate revenue. Panellists are tasked to examine the policies, systems, and platforms needed to turn musical talent into a steady income.
Additionally, the central panel for this session will address owning the creative narrative and monetisation strategies, providing practical guidance on rights protection, branding, and revenue generation.
Another vital session, titled “Recipe for Global Stardom,” will explore what it takes for African artistes to succeed internationally. At this point, the topics will include talent development, global positioning, touring, music distribution, and building sustainable careers beyond short-term success.
At the summit, the role of the media will also be examined during a session titled “Global Media and Music: The Missing Link for Africa.” Here, the discussion will focus on how strong storytelling, exposure, and international media partnerships can help African music reach new markets.
Furthermore, financing the industry will take the spotlight during a special fireside chat on funding the African music ecosystem. This session will feature honest conversations about investment models, access to finance, and how artists, labels, and creative entrepreneurs can attract funding to scale their businesses.
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Across the five-day celebration, the 9th AFRIMA will deliver a lineup of key events, including the Welcome Soiree on 7 January, the Africa Music Business Summit on 8 January, Host City Tour and CSR Visit, the Music Village Concert on 9 January, the Nominees and Industry Party on 10 January, and the Red Carpet and Grand Awards Night on 11 January 2026.
According to the award organisers, the awards ceremony will be broadcast live to more than 84 countries, ensuring the excitement reaches audiences worldwide.
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