“What started as a uniquely Nigerian cultural product has become a commodity controlled by people far beyond Nigeria’s borders.”

That claim has become a flashpoint in conversations about Afrobeats, the Nigerian-born sound that has grown from Lagos clubs into one of the world’s biggest musical movements.

While the statement is more opinion than settled fact, it captures a growing debate across Africa: as global music companies pour money into Afrobeats, who gets to shape its future?

A decade ago, artists like Wizkid, Davido and later Burna Boy helped push Nigerian music onto international charts with a sound that felt unmistakably homegrown.

Their blend of Afropop, highlife, dancehall and hip-hop resonated across West Africa before finding audiences in London, New York and beyond.

Today, Afrobeats fills stadiums, dominates streaming playlists and has its own Grammy category. But its global success has also brought questions about ownership and creative control.

One of the biggest turning points came in 2024 when Universal Music Group acquired a majority stake in Mavin Records, one of Nigeria’s most influential record labels founded by producer and executive Don Jazzy.

The deal symbolised a wider trend: international music giants increasingly investing in African talent and infrastructure.

Supporters argue that these partnerships give artists access to larger marketing budgets, global distribution networks and opportunities that were once out of reach.

Nigerian stars now headline international festivals, collaborate with global acts and earn revenues from audiences across continents.

Critics, however, worry that commercial success comes with trade-offs.

Some believe global executives and streaming platforms now wield enormous influence over which artists receive the biggest promotional push, which songs land on influential playlists and what version of Afrobeats reaches international listeners.

They argue that the genre’s rough-edged experimentation has gradually given way to a more polished sound designed to travel easily across global markets.

That concern extends beyond Nigeria.

For Ghana, the conversation feels familiar. Highlife, hiplife and the fast-rising Asakaa movement have all faced questions about how local sounds can grow internationally without losing the cultural identity that made them distinctive in the first place. Across the continent, artists increasingly navigate a delicate balance between staying authentic and appealing to worldwide audiences.

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Not everyone agrees that Afrobeats has lost its identity. Many fans point out that Nigerian artists continue to dominate charts, create trends and influence global pop music rather than simply following it. They see the genre’s evolution as a natural consequence of reaching bigger audiences.

Still, the discussion reflects a broader reality facing Africa’s creative industries. As music becomes a billion-dollar global business, ownership matters almost as much as artistry. The question is no longer whether African music belongs on the world stage—it already does.

The bigger question is who gets to decide what the next chapter sounds like.

Some of the world’s most compelling stories are hidden beneath our feet.

On Thursday, October 8, Accra will become the meeting point for architecture, history and environmental thought as Nairobi-based Cave_bureau brings its acclaimed lecture “Earth Spirit Practice: A Eulogy to Architecture” to Sir David Adjaye & Associates Limited.

Presented as the second event in the Earth and Other Works series by AFI x Adjaye Associates, the evening promises more than a discussion about buildings. It invites audiences to rethink the ground itself as a living archive of memory, resistance and repair.

Founded by Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi, Cave_bureau has earned international recognition for exploring caves, landscapes and geological formations across Kenya’s Great Rift Valley as places where forgotten histories can be rediscovered.

Their work connects architecture with art, research, storytelling and performance, asking what happens when the earth is treated as more than a foundation for construction.

Visitors can expect an intimate lecture that blends visual research, bold ideas and thought-provoking conversations about colonialism, climate change, materiality and ecological repair.

Rather than celebrating towering skylines, the session shifts attention underground, where layers of rock become witnesses to centuries of human experience.

For Ghanaian audiences, the event offers a chance to connect East and West African perspectives on heritage and the environment.

It also resonates with conversations around sustainable design and preserving cultural landscapes, issues that continue to shape Ghana’s rapidly growing cities.

International visitors looking beyond Accra’s beaches and nightlife will find an evening that showcases the city’s thriving creative and intellectual scene.

It is an opportunity to experience Ghana as a place where architecture becomes a bridge between continents, histories and futures.

As the conversation unfolds beneath the banner of Earth and Other Works, attendees will leave with a different way of seeing the ground beneath their feet—not as something ordinary, but as a story waiting to be read.

The future of African storytelling will take centre stage in Accra this September as journalists, content creators and media professionals gather for a day designed to reshape how stories are told across the continent.

The TN Africa Digital Journalism Masterclass, organised by The Newsroom Africa’s TN Africa Media Academy, takes place on Wednesday, September 23, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at AfricaWorks, Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel.

Rather than a traditional conference, the programme is a selective, hands-on training experience that brings together newsroom skills, technology and meaningful conversations about Africa’s changing media landscape.

The academy was created to provide continuous professional development for journalists, communicators and digital storytellers across Africa. Its masterclass series builds momentum toward the annual TN Africa Digital Journalism Summit while creating opportunities for networking and collaboration throughout the year.

Participants can expect three practical learning sessions that reflect some of journalism’s biggest challenges today.

The first explores how artificial intelligence can strengthen reporting through research, writing and verification while emphasising responsible use.

Another session turns the spotlight on climate storytelling, using Accra’s floods as a case study in solutions-focused reporting. A third module tackles the business of journalism, helping attendees build personal brands, freelance careers and sustainable income streams.

The experience extends beyond workshops. A fireside conversation featuring the Barbados High Commissioner, a senior journalist and a young digital creator promises fresh perspectives on where African journalism is heading.

For international visitors, the masterclass offers a window into Ghana’s growing role as a hub for media innovation.

For local professionals and aspiring journalists, it provides rare access to industry expertise, practical exercises and connections that can shape future careers.

Applications are reviewed individually, with shortlisted participants receiving confirmation before the event.

Those who complete all three modules and the programme assessment will be eligible for a TN Africa Media Academy Certificate of Completion.