Showbiz
Fidelity Bank MD Interviews Don Jazzy on Music Business
By Dipo Olowookere
One of the top music entrepreneurs in Nigeria, Don Jazzy, was a guest of Fidelity SME Forum, a weekly radio programme by Fidelity Bank Plc to educate, inform, advise and inspire budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria with knowledge and expertise that will enable them build sustainable and successful businesses.
This month, Fidelity Bank Plc hosted a series highlighting the business side of entertainment and the opportunities that exist.
Headlining the series was Don Jazzy, Founder & CEO of the Supreme Mavin Dynasty (SMD).
On the episode, he shared insights on ‘Understanding the Business Side of the Nigerian Entertainment Industry,’ with the MD & CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, who moderated the session.
How did your journey into entertainment business begin?
No matter how many times I get asked this question, I never get tired of answering it because there is always someone new in the audience who would like to know exactly how we got to where we are now.
Before I proceed, I would like to thank and appreciate Fidelity Bank for creating this platform for us to talk to the people. It is really an honour.
My name is Michael Collins Ajere Enebeli and I am from Delta state. I was born in my mother’s hometown of Umuahia in Abia state. We moved to Lagos at some point and I grew up in Awodiora estate in Ajegunle, Lagos. This was where all my other siblings also grew up.
My childhood was pretty much about a young boy helping his parents to raise money as well as raise the children. Going to church on weekends to help make music was an opportunity for me to learn how to play the instruments.
I did that up until I turned 18 years old and an uncle of mine decided to take me to the U.K. He wanted me to go there and teach some of the musicians they had in the church. The church is Cherubim and Seraphim, one which people frown at because we wear white garment. It is the church I was born in and I have never seen them doing any rituals or anything of the sort.
In the U.K., there were not many people who were confident enough in wearing the white garment to church. I guess that was the reason why my uncle thought I would be the one to come over and teach the church members over there.
Eventually, after I got there, I got the church running smoothly. Along the line, I dabbled into playing music with some good fellows I met. I started with a group called Solek Crew, but at some point, we went our separate ways before I moved into another group called JJC & 419 Squad.
I worked there for a while and learned the ropes of music production from the guys at JJC & 419 squad. While I was with them, I had become quite good at what I do now before I met D’Banj. We both decided to work on his album and by the time we were done with it, we thought about where we would sell it. Eventually, we decided to go back to Nigeria, where the people understood what we were doing. D’Banj’s album got released immediately after we got back to Nigerian and as God would have it, the rest is history.
What strategic plans did you put in place to make money from music?
When we started at first, it wasn’t really seen as a business to us. We were just guys that had the passion for the music. We knew that if we had good products to sell, we would get popular and then the money would start to come. We were not thinking about the labour or capital initially.
Later on, we started looking at it as a viable business before we decided to start structuring things. I actually think we started late in putting together a structure for the business. I got it right a little bit with Mo’Hits Records, but I perfected it with Mavin Records.
However, I would say that with the mistakes we made from Mo’Hits Records where we were just learning on the go, we got better at doing things in Mavin where we just put what we had learned to play.
Did you think about the business side when collaborating with others?
The first song collaboration that we did was Dorobucci before Looku Looku. I recently signed new artistes and three of them are relatively new in the game.
We thought of the best ways to get them as popular as possible, riding off the popularity of me, Tiwa Savage and D’Prince, and so we decided to do the collaboration. We do that from time to time.
Although, it is easier for you to go to the radio stations and introduce yourself and your song with features by Don Jazzy and Tiwa Savage.
The Dorobucci song, for instance, is up on YouTube with over 20 million views. With that, the artistes have already gotten that face time that they would have been looking for as newbies in the game. We replicated the same with the Adaobi song, which just had three young artistes and me in it.
Also, for the people that know me and want to see me will have no choice than to see my other people as well. It got them popular faster. We think of these factors before we make such moves. Now that I have signed new artistes, I may think of some other ways to incorporate them.
Were you really thinking of branding from the business side of view or did they just happen?
I created the word “Dorobucci,” but I was not thinking of branding at the time. I just wanted the talking points on “Dorobucci”. The more people kept asking about it, the more it got popular. I also considered the use of social media in this case. For instance, when you use the hashtag “#Dorobucci,” you see only us and no one else.
Meanwhile, if you use the hashtag “#Inspiration”, you may see Inspiration FM or Inspiration Ghana and so on. With that, you cannot really tell the growth of your product. What I wanted was a place I could check and see the success of the product on its own.
With your experience, what should one consider before going into the music business?
There are lots of things that people can do in this space. One of the challenges that we have in the industry is actually human resources. We are looking for people that can handle different things.
For example, Mavin is successful today not just because of Don Jazzy, but because I give professionals different arms of the business to handle. Whatever you feel is your selling point or an area you feel you can handle best, please go for it. For instance, I have songwriters, dancers, PR experts in my team.
What do you consider before accepting a show?
First, it depends on which artiste you are talking about. For me personally, the money has to be high, because I am not an artiste, so you will have to pay for convincing me to come and perform on your show.
For the real artistes, it depends on the location, the brand, the sponsors, and then the fees.
What do you consider before singing an artiste?
I have had different reasons for signing almost every artiste under the Mavin label. There is no one that has been the same. If I am looking for an artiste, it’s either I put out a word or they contact me. There are others that get to me through someone else that knows me closely.
In business nowadays, people always forget to work with the heart. It is not every time that you go for skills.
Aside the fact that my people have skills, I also look at the heart before I then look at the long term. It is better for me if we can work longer together instead of us to work for only a short period because you feel you have too much skill. If I see loyalty in the person, I know that he or she is someone I can bring up.
How do you plan to make your business outlive you?
I started planning this since three years ago. I have looked at the music industry and I understand it to the point where I realise that you cannot be perfect forever. I look at people like Mohammed Ali. They say he is the greatest. However, can you imagine what Mohammed Ali would have been if he was the one that founded and managed Mike Tyson? I have a bunch of people under me that are going to take over after my time.
Fidelity Bank
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The 2023 Best Graduating Student of MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), Mr Oluwasegun Ogundeyi, is on his way to Italy to attend the New York Film Academy in Florence.
While at the academy, the filmmaker will hone his skills and be exposed to the latest innovations in the creative industry and meet others from across the globe.
His acceptance to the New York Film Academy’s Florence campus reflects not only personal advancement but also the continued success of MTF’s global training pipeline.
Through its partnership-driven approach, MTF continues to create pathways that position African filmmakers for international relevance while keeping their storytelling rooted in authentic local perspectives.
The fully funded scholarship provided by MTF marks a significant milestone in a career already defined by versatility, discipline, and award-winning storytelling.
The scholarship is part of an ongoing partnership between MTF and the New York Film Academy, designed to strengthen global exposure for emerging African filmmakers while building meaningful creative and industry connections between Nollywood and Hollywood.
“Storytelling is connection. It is expression, impact, and community. My mission is to tell African stories that are nuanced, human, and real, stories that remind us of who we are,” Mr Ogundeyi, who is a director, cinematographer, and storyteller, stated.
Since his time at MTF, Mr Ogundeyi has steadily built a portfolio that demonstrates both range and creative leadership. His directorial debut, Her Dark Past, earned top recognition by winning the MTF category at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), validating the promise he displayed during his training at MTF.
As Director of Photography on the short film Threshold, he contributed to a project that secured selections at both the Ibadan Indie Film Awards and the Malabo International Film Festival 2025.
He directed Bridging Hope, a documentary produced for Drug Aid Africa, demonstrating his ability to craft compelling narratives for social impact.
His commercial work includes directing the Máadán Lipgloss launch campaign, bringing cinematic sensibility to branded content. Currently, his cinematography work on Transparent Boy is in post-production, with festival submissions anticipated.
Beyond individual projects, his MTF experience yielded lasting professional partnerships. In June 2024, he co-founded NINE NINE Productions Limited with a fellow MTF graduate, transforming their collaboration on Threshold into a sustainable creative enterprise.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The intellectual property investment subsidiary backed by Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), CANEX Creations Incorporated (CCInc), has announced an investment in the feature film Clarissa, a Nigerian-produced drama directed by twin filmmakers, Arie and Chuko Esiri.
A contemporary reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s novel, relocated to Lagos, Clarissa was shot on 35mm in Lagos and Delta States. The film follows society woman Clarissa as she prepares to host a party at her home, only to encounter once-intimate friends from her youth. Over the course of a single night, memories of intricate relationships, passionate love, hidden desires, and lost aspirations give rise to a bittersweet reckoning.
The film has been acquired for worldwide distribution by NEON, which will oversee theatrical release in the United States and international markets, with NEON International handling foreign sales.
Clarissa features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Sophie Okonedo (Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee), David Oyelowo (Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee), Emmy Award winner Ayo Edebiri, alongside India Amarteifio (Bridgerton), Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Knock at the Cabin), and a broader cast of distinguished performers.
The film is written, directed, and produced by Arie and Chuko Esiri, whose debut feature Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) premiered at the Berlinale, won multiple African Movie Academy Awards, and was subsequently released by Janus Films before being selected for the Criterion Collection, a rare distinction that signals enduring artistic significance.
The Esiri brothers produce Clarissa alongside Theresa Park (Per Capita Productions) and Nicholas Weinstock (Invention Studios), with co-producers Nina Gold and Thomas Bassett. Executive producers include Sophie Okonedo, Dolly Omodolapo Kola-Balogun, Osahon Okunbo, and Jason Reif.
Commenting on the investment, Mr Osahon Akpata, Chief Executive Officer of CCInc. said, “Clarissa exemplifies the type of globally resonant, IP-driven storytelling that CANEX Creations Inc (CCInc) was established to support. The film combines literary heritage, world-class filmmaking, and African production capacity, while remaining firmly rooted on the continent. Its acquisition by NEON validates both the creative ambition of the filmmakers and the viability of Africa-backed financing structures for internationally scalable film content.”
Reflecting on the film’s creative vision, Mr Chuko Esiri, writer, director and producer, said, “From the beginning, it was important to us that Clarissa be both rooted and resourced on the continent where it is set. Having African institutions back a film of this scale reflects a growing confidence that our stories can be produced from within.
“Clarissa is a story centred on time and memory, and in bringing it to life, we chose to shoot on 35mm in the hope it will first feel, then stand next to the great films of modern cinema”.
Production financing for filming in Nigeria was provided entirely by Africa-based institutions, led by CCInc. alongside MBO Capital, underscoring the growing capacity of African capital to support globally competitive film projects.
The acquisition was negotiated by NEON’s Kate Gondwe, with UTA Independent Film Group representing the filmmakers.
According to a statement, CCInc. said Clarissa marks its continued commitment to investing in high-quality Global Africa intellectual property with clear pathways to international markets, in line with its mandate to catalyse export-ready creative assets across film, television, music, fashion, and other IP-intensive sectors.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Spotify says music streaming in Nigeria has grown at an average rate of 163.5 per cent, underscoring the speed at which the country has emerged as a global streaming force since it launched here in 2021.
In a statement, the music streaming company reported triple-digit year-on-year growth in its early years and sustained momentum through 2025.
The platform, which entered the Nigerian market in February 2021, described the journey as one marked by rapid cultural acceleration.
Spotify said at the heart of that growth was Afrobeats, which recorded a 5,022 per cent increase in streams locally between 2021 and 2025.
It added that other genres also witnessed remarkable expansion. According to the platform, Amapiano surged by 10,330 per cent; Gospel and Praise grew by 5,499 per cent; Hip-hop and Rap rose by 3,020 per cent; while R&B climbed by 2,602 per cent.
Spotify further said language had become another growth engine, with indigenous-language listening increasing by 554 per cent in 2024 and 87 per cent in 2025 within Nigeria.
Globally, indigenous-language streams rose by 141 per cent in 2024 and 41 per cent in 2025, reflecting what the company described as a growing appetite for local-language storytelling and sound.
According to Spotify, listening habits reflected global curiosity from day one. The first track streamed in Nigeria at launch was “到此為止” by Shiga Lin, reinforcing the platform’s view that Nigerian users are eclectic and open to discovery.
Over the five-year period, the most-streamed artists in Nigeria include Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Wizkid and Seyi Vibez.
Among the most replayed songs are ‘Remember’ and ‘Lonely At The Top’ by Asake; ‘Kese (Dance)’ by Wizkid; ‘Doha’ by Seyi Vibez; and ‘With You’ by Davido featuring Omah Lay.
The platform said the number of Nigerian artists on Spotify has grown by 158 per cent since launch, while users have created more than 25 million playlists within the period.
According to the company, in 2025 alone, Nigeria recorded over 1.4 million play hours on the platform.
Spotify also noted that podcast consumption is expanding, with more than 59 billion total podcast hours streamed since its launch.
The platform added that user behaviour reflects a young and adventurous market, with the average listener aged 26. In recent months, Nigerians streamed an average of 150 different artists, which Spotify described as evidence of a discovery-driven audience.
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