Broadcasting
AFRIMA Seeks Covid-19 Palliatives for African artistes, Culture Industry Stakeholders
International Congress of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has lent its voice to the advocacy for COVID-19 palliative measures for artistes and other practitioners in the music, culture and entertainment industries of Africa.
Mr. Rikki Stein, international advisor of AFRIMA
This is in awakening to a new economic and social reality as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the African culture and creative industries.
This decision was reached during the two-hour Conference/Meeting of the International Congress of AFRIMA held via Zoom on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, with the theme; Post COVID-19 Developmental Gaps and Challenges in the African Music and Entertainment Industries: African Regions and Countries Perspective.
The entertainment industry of Africa is among the worst hit industries in the coronavirus crisis.
Stage and concert performances have been suspended, thereby affecting performance artistes, the technical production and support businesses where users can access entertainment without restriction thereby causing millions of dollars in ticket-sales losses and generating an unprecedented level of financial anxiety for artistes, event organizers and other behind-the-scenes workers who rely on events to make ends meet.
Mr. Rikki Stein, international advisor of AFRIMA who joined the Zoom conference from his base in the United Kingdom, opined that it would not be easy to predict when things would return to normal, even after the pandemic, “the world has undergone a major paradigm shift in the way of doing business especially in the entertainment industry.
Therefore, virtual shows won’t be a perfect financial substitutes for artistes who have lost touring income in the short term, buts online events provide a similar sense of co-presence and community for both artistes and fans”.
In his submission, Mr. Mike Dada, president and executive producer, AFRIMA stated, “The quickest, most direct way to support artistes and industry workers affected by shows, festivals and events cancellations is for both national and regional level funding programs to open to contributions from the general public.
Such programs can usually deliver funds to qualifying artists and other production support businesses for growth and sustenance”.
Other Congress members also voiced their support for creative industry focused solutions to support and help needy musicians and other stakeholders.
Reacting, Ms.Angela Martins, head of Culture Department, African Union Commission, (AUC), who joined the meeting from the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa revealed some of the plans underway to support the industries.
“I wish to inform the meeting that the African Union held a virtual forum of Ministers for Culture and Creative Industries in Africa and there are some countries providing support to artists already.
The final communiqué of the Virtual Meeting of Ministers includes a call for all AU Member States to provide this much needed support to artists.
She added, “The African Union Commission is currently in collaboration with the African Export and Import Bank (AFREXIM Bank) in developing a scheme to request Member States to provide these grants for artists and relevant creative industry stakeholders”
Ms.Martins concluded that the AU would be open to work with AFRIMA to bring much needed relief to the creative and culture sectors of Africa
The conference saw the turnout of members of the International Congress of AFRIMA who collectively make up the International Committee of AFRIMA, the International Jury of AFRIMA and the International Production Committee of AFRIMA.
These distinguished professionals in various sectors of the music, culture and production industries of Africa and other parts of the world linked into the conference from countries such as Benin Republic, Cameroon, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, United Kingdom, USA and Zimbabwe, among others
In partnership with the African Union Commission, AFRIMA is a youth-focused music property that celebrates Africa, recognizes and rewards the work and talents of myriad of African artists across generations.
AFRIMA is committed to the stimulation of conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world about the potentials of the cultural and creative economy for real enterprise on the continent, contributing significantly to social cohesion and continental integration as well as sustainable economic growth and development in Africa by lending its voice to promotion of education and campaign against extreme poverty and preventable.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, simply known as Fela, legendary Nigerian musician, has made history as the first African artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Fela
This is coming after he was posthumously honored with the 2026 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive this prestigious special merit recognition.
Fela will be honoured in the early influence category this year, along with Queen Latifah, rapper MC Lyte, country rocker Gram Parsons, and Cuban singer Celia Cruz at this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame event.
The honorees were revealed on Monday night in the US, during an airing of American Idol.
Sade Adu, Nigerian-born British singer, will be honoured in the performance category.
However, Shakira, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, New Edition, and Pink, missed out on the final cut despite being nominated.
Over 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals voted to decide the honorees.
The induction ceremony will be held on 14 November at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is set to launch so-called FreeTV, with over 100 channels for news, sports, education, entertainment and children’s programming in multiple Nigerian languages.
The launch is scheduled for May 15.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, who disclosed this, said the new platform will offer free-to-air access with no carriage fees, leveraging hybrid satellite and internet delivery via NigComSat-1R.
The new plan is not an upgrade, the NBC stressed. This is a rebuild, according to Ebuebu .
FreeTV will be true free-to-air – no encryption, no set-top box barrier.
Any DVB-T2/S2 television will work. A mobile app will extend reach to phones and tablets.
The platform will launch with over 100 national, regional and state channels across sports, news, children’s programming, education, entertainment and cultural content in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Tiv, Ijaw, Edo, Fulfulde, Ibibio, Efik and Nupe – all in HD.
Crucially, the NBC has partnered with a Bulgarian firm, GARB (operating since 2006 and recognised by the European Broadcast Union), to deliver a 94 per cent-accurate audience measurement system using return-path data, app analytics, demographic panels, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
To qualify broadcasters, must commit their channels, produce a minimum of 60 per cent local content, and promote FreeTV until January 2029.
After that, a regulated tiered rate card takes effect.
According to NBC, the strategic rationale is simple: build viewers first, monetise later.
The document further revealed that six regional production hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin would function as local content factories, expected to generate 500 to 1,000 jobs per zone within two years.
Popular Nigerian artist Adekunle Gold has lent his support to the growing youth-driven movement behind The Gathering on 100, further amplifying conversations around what is fast becoming one of the most talked-about upcoming experiences among young Nigerians.
Adekunle Gold
Known for his music and his strong connection with youth culture and evolving creative expression, Adekunle Gold’s involvement signals a deeper alignment between the event and the kind of audience it is attracting, a generation that is bold, expressive, and constantly redefining what community looks like.
While details of his involvement remain understated, his visible support adds a new layer of support and cultural relevance to the movement. In a landscape where attention is currency, endorsements from artists of his stature often act as a signal, drawing more eyes, more curiosity, and ultimately, more participation, but beyond visibility, the significance lies in what it represents.
The new father has, over the years, built a reputation for embracing creativity in its many forms, from music to visual storytelling, fashion, and digital engagement. His brand has consistently resonated with young Nigerians navigating similar spaces of self-expression and identity.
From interactive experiences like live music sessions and open performance moments to fashion runways and content creation spaces, the event is designed to blur the lines between audience and participant. It invites attendees to move beyond observation and become part of the moment.
This is a concept that closely mirrors the kind of cultural shift Adekunle Gold has been part of, one where boundaries between creator and consumer continue to dissolve.
His support also reflects a broader trend within Nigeria’s entertainment industry, where artists are increasingly engaging with youth-led initiatives that go beyond traditional performances. Rather than simply appearing on stage, they are aligning with movements that foster community, creativity, and shared experience.
For fans and attendees, this adds another dimension to what The Gathering on 100 represents.
As registrations increase and conversations expand across social platforms, the movement is gradually taking shape through the collective interest of those drawn to it.
Head to gathering.com to register.
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