LAGOS – In a definitive address on the future of the African creative economy, Audu Maikori, the visionary co-founder of Chocolate City, has issued a stark warning regarding the structural vulnerabilities hidden beneath the global success of Afrobeats. Speaking at a high-level entertainment business summit in Lagos, Maikori argued that while African music is currently a dominant global export, the artists behind the movement are at risk of a new era of "intellectual property enslavement." According to Maikori, the failure of many African creators to formally register their copyrights in major markets like the United States is resulting in the loss of billions of dollars in potential revenue, effectively allowing foreign entities to control and monetize African culture in perpetuity.
Central to Maikori’s thesis is the urgent need for a transition from a "hustle" mindset to a structured, institutionalized industry. He cited the contrasting business models of digital pioneers Linda Ikeji and BellaNaija as case studies in how different approaches to structure can dictate long-term value. For the Nigerian music industry to survive the next decade, Maikori insists that artists must move beyond the individual grind and begin building local systems that prioritize legal frameworks and proactive copyright registration—a "formula" that has allowed Chocolate City to remain a dominant force for over 20 years.
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A significant portion of the discussion focused on the danger of "infrastructure dependency." Maikori warned that African artists are currently building their careers on foreign-owned foundations, such as Spotify, YouTube, and Apple. He cautioned that if these global platforms were to shift their support or change their algorithms, African creators could lose their primary means of value capture overnight. To mitigate this risk, Maikori advocated for a model of co-ownership and community-led legacy building, drawing parallels to the business empires of American moguls Jay-Z and Diddy. The goal, he argued, should be the creation of African-owned infrastructure that ensures the wealth generated by African talent stays within the continent.
The conversation also touched on the broader geopolitical challenges facing the region. Maikori discussed what he described as the deliberate destabilization of Nigeria and its cascading impact on the wider African economy. He noted that a fractured political landscape directly threatens the creative sector’s ability to scale, making institutionalized business practices even more critical for survival. As the global appetite for African sounds continues to grow throughout 2026, Maikori’s message remains a call to arms for the industry: without ownership of the underlying intellectual property, the current "Golden Age" of Afrobeats may ultimately benefit everyone except the Africans who created it.
