Pursuits

Nigeria's Answer to Spotify Lures Investors From MTN to Jay-Z

  • MTN Group has become largest music distributor in Nigeria
  • Revenue for artists worth more than $150 million a year

Inside Nigeria's Booming Music Scene

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The mansion, the pool, the Bentley, the life-size portrait and the gold medallions are the spoils of a in Nigeria and music superstar D’banj is enjoying them.

The 35-year-old used to have to bargain with street-market traders to sell his CDs because there were no formal distribution outlets. Today, MTN Group Ltd., Africa’s biggest mobile-phone operator, and Emirates Telecommunications Corp. sell songs by D’banj and other stars like Davido and 2Face as ringtones and downloads. Now Tidal music streaming service owned by U.S. rapper Jay-Z is interested in the Nigerian market.