With over 10 years of experience in the music industry — from being an artist and producer to a music executive working with over 1,000 independent and signed artists — I’ve seen the opportunities, struggles, and systemic barriers that shape Africa’s music ecosystem.

In 2022, I recorded and produced a 13-track album with incredible talents like Puffy Tee, Deyasso, Eljack, and Dunnie. Excited, I took the project to major distribution agencies across Nigeria and Africa.

After listening, they always came back with the same question:
? “What are your Spotify numbers?”

It didn’t matter that the music was strong, the production was world-class, or the artistry authentic. Without thousands of Spotify listeners, I couldn’t access an advance, support, or even meaningful distribution.

That was my lightbulb moment.

I realized the value of music itself was being overshadowed by arbitrary metrics controlled by platforms that were never designed for African artists at the grassroots. For underground or indigenous artists, the odds were stacked: unless you went viral, got a lucky collaboration, or were featured as a primary artist on global DSPs, your work had little chance of breaking through.

The tides were never in our favor.

Why Hafrikplay Exists

At Hafrikplay, we found the gap. While other platforms focus heavily on listeners, we built a system where artists are the core of our ecosystem.

? Our hybrid platform feeds both creators and fans.
? We’re intentional about discovery — not just trending hits.
? We exist to scale underground, indigenous, and rising artists — ensuring they’re seen, heard, and supported.

Just like SoundCloud was instrumental in discovering Kendrick Lamar, Hafrikplay is positioning itself as the hub of Africa’s next generation of talent discovery.

In the near future, the industry question won’t be “What are your Spotify numbers?” It will be:
“What are your Hafrikplay numbers?”

Because unlike DSPs with less than 2% penetration in Nigeria, we’re building a platform tailored for African realities: one where artists can truly grow a fanbase that translates into live shows, virtual events, and merchandise sales.

What Makes Us Different (and Why We’ll Survive)

Africa has seen several DSPs come and go — Spinlet, UduX, MTN Music — all failing to scale because they couldn’t align infrastructure with artist-centered needs.

Hafrikplay is rewriting that story. Here’s how:
Instant Access – The moment you register as an artist, you get your dashboard. No bureaucracy.
Actionable Analytics – See real-time data on streams, traction, and the countries driving your growth.
Community Building – We don’t just give you numbers; we give you an audience that connects with your genre and identity.
Artist-first Economy – Our model prioritizes fair visibility and sustainable monetization for creatives.

We’re not just another streaming platform. We are the future of African music discovery and monetization.

The Vision Ahead

Our mission is bold but clear:
 To become the Spotify for Africa, but with deeper intentionality towards artist empowerment.
 To give underground and indigenous artists a fair chance at discovery and monetization.
To build infrastructure that keeps African value and income within our ecosystem while connecting our music globally.

As a young woman who started off breaking the rules of artistry in Uniben, to now leading a Pan-African music tech company, I can confidently say:

Hafrikplay is here to stay.

To every artist, stakeholder, and investor reading this:
Join us in building the future of African music.

#Hafrikplay #SpotifyForAfrica #AfricanCreatives #MusicBusiness #MusicTech #DigitalEconomy