President William Ruto has declared that Nairobi is ready to become the next hub for Africa’s recorded music.
The statement followed a meeting with Victoria Oakley, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the global organisation representing the recorded music industry.
“It was a pleasure meeting Victoria Oakley, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry,” Ruto said in a statement shared after the meeting.
He added that he was encouraged by a “shared commitment to strengthening Kenya’s creative economy and positioning Nairobi as Africa’s next major hub for the recorded music industry.”
In his statement, he also hailed the decision by Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group to establish operations in Nairobi, which he said represents “a significant vote of confidence in Kenya’s creative talent, our policy direction, and the reforms underway to build a globally competitive music ecosystem.”
The recording labels have been major players in the East African music industry in recent years – in 2025, Sony Music signed rapper Nyashinski to their rota while Universal Music Group just this year recently signed the rapper and business mogul King Kaka. Kaka’s latest album, ‘Year of The Pen’ was released through Universal.
To enable their continued presence and business, the President said the government’s focus would now shift to implementation by creating an environment where “artistes, producers, publishers and investors can thrive together, generating jobs, exports and new opportunities for Kenyan creatives.”
The growth of Kenya’s creative economy has been a key pillar for the Kenya Kwanza government, which it says contributes approximately 5% to the country’s GDP.
In the reading of the 2026/2027 Budget, the government allocated Ksh. 8.6 billion to accelerate Kenya’s digital transformation agenda and support the growth of the country’s creative economy.
Additionally, Kenyan artists have also enjoyed growing international visibility in recent years. Acts including Bien, Nikita Kering, Njerae and Bridget Blue have secured continental award nominations and international collaborations which highlight Nairobi’s reach in Kenya’s contemporary music scene.
Globally, the recorded music industry continues to experience sustained growth. According to IFPI’s 2026 Global Music Report, global recorded music revenues reached US$31.7 billion in 2025, marking another year of expansion driven largely by paid music streaming.
Ending his statement, Ruto declared: “Kenya is open for music. Nairobi is ready.”
