Ahead of the ninth edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in Lagos, stakeholders will gather for the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS).
According to the organisers, the summit will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at the Eko Convention Centre, and will bring together artistes, music executives, investors, policymakers and media professionals to discuss how Africa can grow, protect and profit from its expanding music industry.
“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 will centre on ownership, infrastructure, media, financing and building a strong music value chain across Africa,” a statement from AFRIMA notes.
It was further announced that the summit will be hosted by CNN African Voices Changemakers host, Larry Madowo, alongside Mojibade Sosanya. 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, Ms Anna Westerholm.
Also expected to be in attendance are several respected voices in music, media, law and policy will also speak at the summit. Confirmed speakers include CEO of Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, Sipho Dlamini; Morocco’s Karima Damir of Universal Music, MENA region; Francis Doku, Mustapha Ettouil; Georg Heritlitz, Olisa Adibua, Bizzle Oshikoya, ID Cabassa, Innoss B, Juma Jux, Stonebwoy, Didi B, among others.
“One of the early sessions will focus on building creative economy infrastructure for revenue. Panelists will examine the policies, systems and platforms needed to turn musical talent into steady income. A major panel under this session will address owning the creative narrative and monetisation strategies, with practical guidance on rights protection, branding and revenue generation.
“Another important session, titled “Recipe for Global Stardom,” will explore what it takes for African artists to succeed internationally. Topics will include talent development, global positioning, touring, music distribution and building sustainable careers beyond short-term success,” the statement from AFRIMA further said.
Speaking ahead of the summit, Mike Strano, Co-Producer and Director of AFRIMA, and Regional Director, Eastern Nigeria, 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,” Strano 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.”
