Average Of N50 Million To Blow An Afrobeats Song!

According to insights from Pulse Facts Only, Nigeria’s Afrobeats music marketing sector is grappling with mounting challenges, including unsustainable promotional costs, poorly aligned strategies, and a troubling focus on surface-level success indicators. The discussion, featuring PR executive David, Head of Operations of We Talk Sound Dunsin Bankole, and 1RPM Project Manager Honour Aghedo, painted a grim picture of the ecosystem, with one executive describing the current state as "absolutely fucked up".
 

The key driver behind the market’s volatility is inflation, which has made operational costs extremely high. Vendors and service providers, noting that "money choke" (there is a lot of money) within the Afrobeats ecosystem, have significantly increased their prices. This mirrors the general rise in living expenses in Nigeria, where even the cost of basic commodities like pure water has escalated three to four times. Consequently, marketing posts that once cost 30,000 Naira are now potentially five times that amount. This aggressive pricing is facilitated by the perception that many within the Afrobeats space are "here for a good time, not for a long time," capitalizing on the perceived bubble before it potentially bursts. Influencers, in particular, are charging fees that lack context, sometimes demanding 2.5 million Naira for a 10-second dance clip, far exceeding a potentially reasonable fee of 500,000 Naira, and they "just charge anybody any fee" regardless of the client’s status.

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Strategically, the industry is criticized for its "one-dimensional" approach, relying heavily on comparison tactics, engineered beefs, and the use of the same circle of influencers. This prevails because controversy is seen as the "fastest way to get a result". The audience itself tends to be more entertained and excited by conflict than by well-curated experiences. However, this leads to forced and "cringe" situations where nascent artists attempt to start beefs or use outlandish claims before they have even established their story or career. Furthermore, artists and their teams often focus on "vanity metrics," prioritizing superficial wins like securing a post on Tunez Not as the definition of a successful rollout, rather than true engagement or cohesive storytelling. Many artists are viewed as "lazy," failing to engage in meetings or demanding involvement beyond simply approving a plan with an unengaged "sounds good". To pivot away from this expensive and ineffective cycle, industry professionals must re-prioritize the "curation of experience" and authentic narrative. Creatives need to take back control of the agenda, rather than allowing influencers to lead the conversation, thereby moving the process "from me to you, not from you to me". Influencers remain a core part of digital marketing, but they must be utilized to push positive narratives. 

For upcoming artists (Tier A), project managers must set realistic expectations, aiming for achievable growth, such as scaling 2,000 streams to 10,000, rather than comparing themselves to established industry giants. Spending smarter involves making data-driven decisions, utilizing P&L (Profit and Loss) costing, and creating non-monetary value for partners, such as offering "exclusive right to this image or video". Crucially, the market needs a healthy balance achieved by fostering "educated content creators" whose audience can rival the influence of those pushing sensationalized agendas.
When all necessary elements for a comprehensive rollout are factored in—including a decent music video, radio and TV pushes, digital ads, press, branding, and influencer marketing—the cost to effectively "blow up a song" is highly contextual. Estimates provided by the panelists range significantly, from a minimum of 20 million Naira to as high as 100 million Naira, with the host suggesting a minimum average cost of 50 million Naira.