An entertainment executive, Otunba Olumide Enilolobo, has warned that Afrobeats faces systemic exploitation from major Western record labels. He stated that Africa risks losing economic ownership of the genre despite its massive global growth in music streams.
He identified unfair artist contracts and limited marketing investments as key problems, worsened by weak local infrastructure and insufficient legal support. Enilobo argued that when artists lose ownership of their work, the culture itself is diminished.
He called for stronger African labels, greater legal literacy for artists, and increased investment in the creative sector. He emphasized that music represents significant economic value, insisting that Africa must not export its creativity only to import the profits.
He identified unfair artist contracts and limited marketing investments as key problems, worsened by weak local infrastructure and insufficient legal support. Enilobo argued that when artists lose ownership of their work, the culture itself is diminished.
He called for stronger African labels, greater legal literacy for artists, and increased investment in the creative sector. He emphasized that music represents significant economic value, insisting that Africa must not export its creativity only to import the profits.
