Greetings,

…and Merry November!

In case you missed some important stories we shared in October, here’s your chance to catch up!

We broke the news of Universal Music Group affirming Nigeria as a "high-potential" market and outlining a triple-pronged approach to these regions, focusing on:

• Building local A&R teams
• Supporting local entrepreneurs and labels through its indie arm, Virgin Music Group
• Engaging in mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

Ahead of TechCabal’s Moonshot event, which attracted 4,000 attendees this year, we explored the timely discussion on how the financial sector can partake in Africa’s creative industrial revolution, featuring insights from Chin Okeke (Founder, Misan Partners) and Wakiuru Njuguna (Managing Partner, HEVA Fund).

We also highlighted a major milestone for Nigerian cinema: record-high ticket sales of ₦7 billion despite having barely 300 screens nationwide. In comparison, France, with a population of 68 million, opened 115 new screens in 2022 alone, underscoring Nigeria's infrastructural challenges with its 200+ million population.

We analyzed how progressive brands and creators are now treating social media like TV, emphasizing that audiences crave more than random content. They want narratives, character development, and episodic engagement.

Then, we delved into the currency of Afrobeats and Latin artist collaborations, noting that these partnerships are often driven by market opportunities rather than cultural nostalgia, with examples from Ayra Starr, Rema, Joeboy, and more.

We also broke an update about Live Nation’s plans to expand into Africa, aiming to fill the “white space” of underserved markets that lack suitable venues for international acts.

Finally, we covered relevant updates on social media platforms that are shaping the creator economy. This aids new media intelligence.

Let’s see what November has for us!