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The creative and technology community gathered in Lagos for the inaugural launch of Music Tech Nigeria, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to bridging the gap between music, innovation, and technology to drive sustainable growth within Nigeria’s creative economy. Held at The Colossus Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, the event brought together creators, policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, and academics under one roof to explore how technology can redefine creativity, strengthen rights management, and unlock new opportunities for creators and music entrepreneurs in Africa. Delivering the keynote address, Ashley Immanuel, CEO, Semicolon Africa, challenged Nigeria’s creative and technology sectors to use innovation as a tool for purpose-driven progress in the music industry. Read Also: Nigeria v. Gabon: NFF Protests FIFA official appointments for W’ Cup Play-off Speaking on the theme: ‘Why Music Tech Matters for Nigeria’s Creative Future,’ she emphasised that technology can be a powerful enabler, helping the industry to learn, produce, distribute, and connect with audiences across regions, while democratizing access to financing for creators and entrepreneurs. “We can innovate around the music industry’s pain points like intellectual property protection and fair compensation,” Immanuel said. “There’s an opportunity to design systems that get the formula right for rewarding rights holders.” In his inspiring presentation, Yvan Boudillet, co-founder of Music Tech Europe, celebrated the launch as “a deeply meaningful milestone for the global music-tech community.” He recalled that the idea behind Music Tech Nigeria was conceived in Kristiansand, Norway, during a meeting between himself, Gerome Vanheret (co-founder, Music Tech Belgium), Dr. Chinedu Chukwuji, Founder of PurpleBlue Academy of Music Business, and Michael Odiong, CEO of Premier Records. “We started as innovators, researchers, and founders building relationships, sharing knowledge, and opening doors at industry and policy levels not just to attract funding, but to foster partnerships and cooperation,” Boudillet said.
