Tiwa Savage Launches Foundation to Support Emerging African Music Talent
Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has officially launched the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, a new initiative designed to support and develop emerging African creatives through mentorship, education, and global industry exposure. The singer unveiled the project at a launch event in Lagos, explaining that the foundation is her way of giving back to the continent after years of building a successful international career. According to Savage, the goal of the initiative is to help young African musicians gain the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to compete on the global stage.
Savage said the foundation was created to address a major gap in the African music industry. While Afrobeats has grown rapidly and gained worldwide attention in recent years, she believes the industry still lacks strong structures that can help nurture and sustain new talent. She explained that although talent is widely available across Africa, many young creatives do not have access to professional training, mentorship, and global industry networks that can help them grow their careers.
To address this challenge, the foundation’s first major project will be the Berklee in Nigeria Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme, which is being organised in partnership with Berklee College of Music in Boston. The programme will bring the prestigious music institution to Lagos for the first time, marking a historic moment for music education in West Africa. Savage described the programme as a groundbreaking step that will allow African creatives to learn directly from one of the most respected music schools in the world without having to travel abroad.
The initiative will offer a fully funded four-day training programme for 100 emerging Nigerian music creators. Participants will receive professional training in several key areas of the music industry, including songwriting, music production, harmony, ear training, and sound engineering. The programme will also provide lessons on important industry topics such as music publishing, copyright management, entertainment law, and how artists can protect and monetise their creative work in the global music business.
Savage explained that even though the programme will last only four days, it can have a powerful impact on young creatives. According to her, short and focused training programmes often help participants discover new aspects of music they may not have explored before. She noted that many talented musicians may only know about performing or recording music, but they may not fully understand the wider business structure that supports the global music industry.
The training programme will end with live ensemble performances, during which participants will have the opportunity to showcase what they learned during the sessions. Outstanding participants will also receive opportunities for future scholarships to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston or enroll in its online learning programmes. Savage said these opportunities could open doors to long-term global careers for African creatives.
Reflecting on her personal journey, Savage revealed that she once attended Berklee College of Music on scholarship, an experience she described as life-changing. According to her, the institution helped her understand that the music industry goes far beyond singing and performing. She explained that during her studies, she learned about sound engineering, music production, film scoring, and the business side of music, which later helped shape her career as a global artist. Savage said that experience inspired her to create opportunities for the next generation of African musicians.
Several well-known entertainment and cultural figures attended the launch event and praised the initiative. Among them were singer Johnny Drille, gospel artiste Precious Emmanuel, media entrepreneur Mo Abudu, and clergyman Bolaji Idowu. Many of them described the foundation as an important step toward building stronger structures within Nigeria’s entertainment industry and creating more opportunities for young creatives across the continent.
Savage also made it clear that the Lagos programme is only the beginning. She said the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation plans to organise more initiatives in the coming years to support African creatives through training, mentorship, and international collaborations. According to her, the vision is to create a sustainable system that will continue to nurture African music talent for generations while helping the continent maintain its growing influence in the global music industry.
