Touring Europe, US was easier than Africa – Mr Eazi

Afrobeats singer and entrepreneur Mr Eazi has revealed that touring Africa was tougher than performing in Europe and the US early in his career.

Speaking at the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogue, he highlighted the challenges African artists face due to border and regulatory hurdles.

“In the last ten years, I have spent six of those years as a singer touring the world and four of those years doing a lot of entrepreneurship. Two things stand out to me.

“In the first six years of my rise, particularly the first two years of me blowing up, it was easier to tour America and Europe than it was to tour Africa, even though I had some of the biggest songs… once I had the number one song in Africa, touring here became even harder.”

He recalled being stopped at the Kenyan border despite being booked for a show, while his band members were allowed in. 

“I remember two occasions, one of me going into Kenya with my band. Even though I had been paid to perform, I was stopped at the border.

“My band, which included members of other nationalities, were allowed to enter, but I — the lead artist who was being paid the most — had to wait,” he added.

He said the incident reflected broader challenges in cross-border movement.

“That incident speaks to the reality of the friction that is being put in place — friction that stops us from uniting, stops us from being stronger, and prevents us from developing,” he said.

Mr Eazi emphasised that Africa needs to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost business growth. “Borders as they currently function create friction in movements, in payments, in regulation and in the abilities of small and medium-scale enterprises to scale,” he said.

Drawing from his business experience, he said he has invested in companies operating in 19 African countries.

“One of which I’m really proud of is a company that is live in 19 African countries and processes four million transactions a day,” he said.

With companies operating in 19 African countries, Mr Eazi stressed that easing cross-border movement will support SMEs and young people. “A more connected Africa is how SMEs grow into continental champions,” he said. 

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He concluded by urging Africans to remove barriers holding the continent back. “When Africa moves together, we do not lose strength. We multiply it… If we make Africa borderless, Africa becomes unstoppable,” he said.