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Touring in Nigeria used to be a major part of the industry, with multinationals investing and sponsoring nationwide concerts that gave fans the chance to enjoy live music from their favourite stars.
Nothing underscores the lack of enduring structures in Nigerian music than the absence of local touring.
As Afrobeats enjoyed global patronage, the local scene suffered more neglect, with Nigerians now having to wait till December in the hopes of watching their biggest stars on stage.
The economic, security, and infrastructural challenges confronting the Nigerian music industry have made local touring largely undesirable for most artists, who now prioritize their foreign-paying audience.
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Amidst these challenges, The Block Party, created by the multi-hyphenate entertainment executive and entrepreneur Oluwatobi “Alhaji Popping” Mohammad, is taking bold steps to redefine live music events in Nigeria by building a platform that brings the stars closer to the fans.
Alongside his partners Bizzle Osikoya and Asa Asika from leading entertainment company The Plug, in the 7 years of its existence, Block Party has been graced by the biggest names in Nigerian music with events spread across Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and even London.
In an impressive feat, the company recently took its vision further by partnering with era-defining rapper ODUMODUBLVCK for his tour of universities across the country.
This tour comes at a time when local touring is at an all-time low in Nigeria, and the ecosystem desperately needs bold companies and selfless musicians to chart a course that will set a working plan for what touring can be in the country.
Speaking on why his company chose to facilitate a tour across 8 universities in Nigeria, Tobi Mohammad describes it as a mandate that must be executed if Nigeria is to enjoy the long-term benefits of Afrobeats’ global success.
“It’s time we, as an industry and a nation, figure out touring in Nigeria. Nobody is going to do this for us. The foreign investors have already figured out Afrobeats' global exportation and commercialization. We can’t wait for them to help us build local touring.”
As the principal media partner, Pulse Nigeria had a front seat in capturing all the moments from OdumoduBlvck’s “The Greatest University Campus Tour”.
From Ile Ife to Ado Ekiti, from Abuja to Lagos, fans trooped in to enjoy live music performances from the rapper whose music is leading the commercial resurgence of hip hop in Nigeria.
This tour is a bright spark that can reignite the fire of touring in Nigeria. Here’s why this writer thinks so.
The Industry Needs A Practical Template
The Nigerian music industry currently lacks a practical template on how to make touring work across the country.
Kemi Olutoye, The Plug’s Talent, Touring, and A&R Manager, says that there’s a stagnancy of all the moving parts required for the touring industry to thrive. However, he believes that university tours offer a blueprint.
“There needs to be a stronger ecosystem to support touring in Nigeria because it is incredibly difficult. At the moment, University tours offer an effective way to tour the country and connect the artists with the fans.”
What The Mainland Block Party has done with the OdumoduBlvck Campus Tour offers practical insights into the logistical and economic challenges of touring in Nigeria.
University tours aren’t new, so they offer familiar territory that must first be conquered at a larger scale for national touring will be a reality.
With higher institutions, Mainland Block Party had some elements of infrastructure in terms of venues, a paying audience who are also part of the primary consumers of OdumoduBlvck’s music, collaborative ticketing possibilities with local organisations, and student bodies who also helped manage crowd control and security.
The data from these shows will be collected and analysed to see how we can replicate this tour on a bigger scale at a national level.
This is what the company intends to do, according to The Plug’s Marketing Manager, Samuel Korie.
“The experience and data from OdumoduBlvck’s Campus Tour is a valuable insight into how we can make touring work on a national scale. The cost, logistics, and peculiarities of different cities are vital to understanding how to someday have a 20 or 30 university tour, then take it to bigger spaces across the country from there.”
The Plug's Marketing Associate, David Ogundele, described the process of developing a blueprint for touring in Nigeria as “difficult but equally rewarding.”
“But what kept us going was the reception and the fact that we were creating a proper touring route,” he says, citing the major inspiration behind the campus tour.
This blueprint is what will be improved on by The Plug and by other stakeholders as the industry moves closer to building the local touring scene.
The Job That Needs To Be Done
Touring is still at its formative stage in Nigeria. It’s far below the level it needs to be if the local scene is to be profitable and capable of leveraging Afrobeats' international success.
To get the job done, there must first be more commitment from all stakeholders. The government, private equity, the labels, the artists, and the consumers must all play their part.
Tobi Mohammad appreciates the task ahead, and he insists that no step can be skipped in the process.
“It’s the job of the entire nation. The leaders must fix the economy and attract infrastructure investments. The promoters, labels, and artists must learn to be realistic and play their part. When all these are done, I am sure the consumers will show up in their numbers.”
The music touring industry requires significant support from private equity to offer the level of services that match the global standards more Afrobeats stars now require. Samuel Korie understands this, and he believes private funding will pour in when the biggest stars show up.
“When the biggest names who have sold out shows globally indicate interest in touring Nigeria, the private equity will be more obliged to open their pockets.”
This cultural commitment and innovation require building modern systems to replace outdated ones and creating models where there are none.
It’s what is inspiring Tobi Mohammad and his team at The Plug, who are showing the industry that touring in Nigeria is possible if only we try harder.