The African Music Summit (AMS) is being staged in London this month.
The new event is dedicated to championing and celebrating the diversity and influence of the African music business.
The two-day summit is taking place at PPL’s HQ on Friday, November 24 and Saturday, November 25, 2023.
Speakers include Sipho Dlamini, president/MD, Gamma - Africa & Middle East, Hailey Willington diversity, equity and inclusion manager BPI and Jean-Elie Ilunga, senior global licensing executive, IFPI.
The African Music Summit has its origins as the educational arm of Strictly Entertainment Music, under the name the Afrobeats Educational Roadshow (TAER). The event was founded by Ramon Olaleye (a systems implementation consultant/branding specialist), Chiedozie Onuora (who runs a boutique distribution company called Strictly Digital Music) and Ikechukwu Onuorah (board director for new African streaming service Jumamo, former director for The Orchard Nigerian office).
It pioneered the convergence of the emerging UK Afrobeats scene with the mainstream music industry. Over eight series, TAER garnered support from the BPI, PRS For Music, PPL, BMI, DTI UK, AIM, BASCA and more.
Under the theme Leveraging Our Cultural Equity, the African Music Summit 2023 aims to explore the untapped potential of the African music business and its impact on the global music industry.
Ikechukwu Onuorah said: “While the artistic aspects of African music have flourished, there's a critical need to equally nurture the business side of the industry. AMS aims to spotlight this crucial aspect. We are on a mission to create an industry that is not only self-sufficient but also reshapes global music business paradigms. Our summit will provide a unique platform where forward-thinking and game-changing entrepreneurs and executives can engage in open dialogues about opportunities, challenges, and, most importantly, solutions tailored to the needs of Africa.”
Kate Reilly, chief membership and people officer, PPL, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the evolution of this event which puts the African music business centre stage. The rise of Afrobeats over the past few years has been nothing short of meteoric; PPL is proud to work with some of its brightest stars to drive their international neighbouring rights revenues as this music reaches new audiences around the world.”
The event is also supported by the BPi.
Dr Jo Twist, chief executive of the BPI, said: “The great opportunities across both North and Sub-Saharan Africa are starting to be realised as they emerge as the continent’s fastest growing and thriving music regions, largely thanks to the rising global popularity of the Afrobeats scene. We are excited to partner on this event to bring the British music business together to support the expanding music market in Africa and help realise its untapped potential.”
Ntsietso Mokitimi-Makhofola, chief legal and revenue officer/company secretary, SAMPRA, said: "The IFPI reported Africa as the fastest-growing music market in 2022. The African Music Summit will propel further growth through exposure of opportunities in Africa, and collaboration between African music creators and the world and amongst the African music players. SAMPRA finds a fit with the objectives of the Summit and is excited to be part of this journey. SAMPRA also takes pride in the work that African creatives are doing to unite."
The event will end with the unveiling of its destination for the African Music Summit 2024 African edition, where the BPI will partner with the organisers Strictly Entertainment Music to stage their very first trade mission into Africa.
Dr Jo Twist added: “The BPI and our partners organise a number of international trade missions to key music markets each year to develop export opportunities and promote British music around the world. We are delighted to expand our trade missions with plans, for the first time in Africa in 2024 so that UK companies can build new audiences and forge fruitful business relationships in this exciting emerging market.”
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