Lagos State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, has described Afrobeats as one of Africa’s greatest economic exports, stressing that the genre now functions as a youth-powered industry driving investment, job creation and global cultural influence.
She made the assertion on Friday during the global launch of the 2025 Afrobeats Inaugural Policy Report hosted by Harvard University’s Centre for African Societies and Economies (CSASE) in collaboration with Rise Interactive Studios at Delborog Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Addressing an audience of scholars, policymakers and creative industry leaders, Benson-Awoyinka said Afrobeats has evolved beyond a cultural movement into a critical component of economic growth and national identity.
“Culture is not just entertainment; culture is infrastructure, technology, economic policy and identity,” she said. “When young people are empowered, protected and given room to innovate, they build industries that uplift a nation.”
The commissioner noted that Lagos, home to many of Africa’s leading artists, producers and creative entrepreneurs, has grown into a “creative megacity” with global impact.
According to her, the state government, under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus Agenda, has expanded talent development programmes, strengthened cultural infrastructure and forged international partnerships to position Lagos as Africa’s cultural and entertainment capital.
Benson-Awoyinka also aligned Lagos’ creative economy drive with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which identifies the orange economy as a key pillar of national development. She highlighted music, film, fashion, animation, gaming and design as critical sectors for employment generation and global competitiveness.
While acknowledging Afrobeats’ worldwide success, the commissioner warned that the industry’s long-term sustainability depends on the development of stronger legal, financial and institutional frameworks.
She called for reforms in intellectual property protection, transparent royalty systems, cross-border trade facilitation, creative financing, anti-piracy enforcement and deeper public–private sector collaboration.
“If Afrobeats is to mature into a stable global industry, creators must be protected and their work properly valued,” she said, commending Harvard Law School for advancing research on intellectual property rights within Africa’s creative sectors.
The commissioner paid tribute to Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, noting that his revolutionary sound and activism laid the foundation for the modern Afrobeats movement and its global appeal.
She also praised the 2025 Afrobeats Inaugural Policy Report, produced by Harvard CSASE and Rise Interactive Studios, describing it as the first comprehensive framework offering policymakers and investors a long-term strategy for building a sustainable Afrobeats economy.
“This report gives structure to what many have felt intuitively,” Benson-Awoyinka said. “It charts a future where African creativity becomes a global economic superpower.”
She reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment to building Africa’s most vibrant creative economy and invited global investors, academic institutions and innovation hubs to partner with the state in expanding opportunities for young creatives.
Key issues identified in the report include extractive global industry structures, weak local data and metrics, informality, opaque royalty and contracting practices, and underdeveloped African touring and live-performance markets.
Policy recommendations outlined in the report focus on strengthening regional creative-economy regulations, improving local financial and business ecosystems, expanding touring and live-performance infrastructure, developing comprehensive creative-economy data systems, and building African-centred intellectual property and contracting models.
