Universal Music Group Opens Nigeria Division



[ad_1]

Vivendi's Universal Music Group (UMG) will launch a new division in Nigeria as part of the world's largest music label's efforts to expand into the most populous nation of Africa and the region.

The new strategic division, Universal Music Nigeria, will operate from Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos.

Nigerian music, just like its Nollywood film industry, is popular in most of Africa. Nigerian musical artists have popularized Afrobeat's musical genre and have signed recording contracts, sold concerts and collaborated with international artists to increase the global reach of African music

– Increase of 9% in 2016, from one year to the next, to reach 39 million dollars and is expected to reach 73 million dollars by 2021, said the audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) last year.

Sipho Dlamini, general manager of Universal Music South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa said that the division of Nigeria would focus on the development of artists and musicians of the countries from West Africa, particularly Nigeria, Ghana and Gambia

. Create opportunities for new talent in the region to reach the widest possible audience, "said Dlamini.

UMG stated that the new division will work in parallel with the existing operations of the label in Ivory Coast and Cote d Ivoire.

Universal Music Nigeria is also planning to open a recording studio in Lagos, which will be the second studio entirely dedicated to the brand in Africa and another in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The music industry of Nigeria faces many challenges. The country's arts, entertainment and recreation sector contributed 0.29 percent of real GDP in the first quarter of this year, according to the statistics bureau.

] [ad_2]
Source link