How Infrastructure Gaps Limit Africa’s Global Music Reach

African music is enjoying unprecedented global popularity, driven largely by Nigeria’s Afrobeats and South Africa’s Amapiano, but industry veteran Tuma Basa says much of the continent remains underrepresented. The former YouTube director of Black music culture attributes this disparity to language advantages, strong diaspora networks, and the viral spread of dance culture on social media. He argues that these factors have helped artists from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa reach international audiences, while many genres from Francophone and Lusophone Africa remain overlooked. While Basa believes that technology and streaming platforms are lowering barriers to entry, he warns that sustainable success requires a more robust infrastructure, including stronger licensing systems, royalty collection mechanisms, touring networks, and local decision-makers in key industry roles. He also stresses the importance of collaboration and human curation in helping artists gain visibility beyond algorithm-driven recommendations.

CNN