LAGOS, Nigeria (CelebrityAccess) — Members of Warner Music Africa’s leadership team, including Alfonso Perez-Soto, President of Emerging Markets, Warner Music; Laverne Thomas, Operations Lead, WMA; Temi Adeniji, Managing Director, WMA, and Yoel Kenan, CEO, Africori, recently traveled to Nigeria’s capital, Abuja to meet with government officials ahead the opening of a new regional office in Lagos.
During the team’s visit, the delegation met with senior officials that included Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State For Youth Development and Minister Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy; as well as Adeagbo (Oluwadunsin) Ayomide, Special Advisor to the President on Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.
During the meetings, WMA underscored their commitment to the development of the region as a source of global artists and repertoire, including Nigerian singer-songwriter Chukwuka Chukwuma Ekweani, AKA, CKay, whose viral single “Love Nwantiti” has achieved international success, recently being certified 8x platinum in the US.
WMA also highlighted its investment in the region, including in Ziiki Media, Chocolate City, and Africori.
In addition, the Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund (WMG/BFF SJF) has contributed more than US$400,000 to Nigeria’s creative sector via its Repertoire and Core Funds, including $200,000 to the West African Vocational Education in 2022 and $150,000 to The Sarz Academy which nurtures emerging talent in music production in 2023.
WMA plans to open a creative hub in Lagos, providing infrastructure for the label’s operations in the region and supporting A&R, Operations, and Marketing.
