The state of music distribution in Nigeria

By: Ibrahim Babatunde

One of the departments or offices that music enthusiasts and patronizers ignore oftentimes in the music industry – especially in Nigeria – is the distribution or marketing office. This office, right from the inception of the business of music, has immensely played a significant role in the success of global acceptability and in the harness of creating a wider audience and fan-base for artistes; both established and up-and-coming ones. Before the advent of social and digital marketing, there has been a traditional mode of distribution and marketing. Days and years of diskettes and cassettes are remarkable in this wise.
Per se, the importance of digital (or traditional) marketing and distribution in this age cannot be overemphasized, owing to the established fact that quite a number of modern musicians have benefited from it; fame, awards, remunerations, and global recognition, among others, are attributed to this. One could even refer to this department as a ladder beam to musical stardom or limelight.

With a grocery of hope, MAD Solutions aims to integrate innovative technology with industry expertise, building trust, optimizing revenue streams, and connecting Africa with the world. In essence and beyond this, its goal is to build bridges for established and up-and-coming artists for them to sell themselves in the global platforms, and also help to harness and enhance a reliable synergy between distribution companies in the music industry.

Likewise, MAD Solutions offers a larger range of services to equip artistes and music labels. Its music distribution network and affiliation spans across over 50 global musical platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, Boomplay, Mdundo, and a lot more. In a bid to set their records above every other distribution company, the company’s digital marketing strategies also promote artists and their music to targeted audiences almost all over the countries in the world.

In lieu of this, MAD Solutions provides a medley of services for its prospective targets, which include: label services, public services, music publishing, and YouTube creator services, making it a one-stop shop for artists seeking to expand their reach. These additional official roles are although just added to its portfolio recently, as its primary goal has been distribution and marketing. But as the company gains more global recognition, the more it gets to widen its arms, considering all other additions that would reestablish the company’s feet more and more.

The company’s innovative products have also been instrumental in its success. Therefore, Engage, which is an Afro-fusion listening music community created for music aficionados, and Spin With Engage, also a DJ mix curator and supplier, have resonated with music enthusiasts. Furthermore, Engage Dolby Atmos Studios provides advanced audio production services, enhancing the music experience. And all these recent innovations stem from the sole innovative ideas of Measurable Accurate Digital Solutions and some other relatable companies in order to take the music industry to the next level of incorporating music culture into the populace and also for acceptance and recognition.

MAD Solutions’ notable achievements demonstrate its industry leadership across-the-board. The company has secured direct licensing agreements with major “Digital Service Providers” (DSPs), and is also a proud member of Merlin, the global independent rights organization. MAD Solutions, in 2021, by extension, partnered with Chordcash, an investment company, to support helpless and independent artistes with funding and resources, which this movement has resultantly aided a number of up-and-coming artistes in order to maximize their musical presence in the industry.

Alongside Engage, MAD Solutions in recent times, has partnered with Artsplit in 2022, enabling fans to invest in artistes through royalty and artwork sales. This innovative deal opened new funding avenues for musicians. Building on this momentum, MAD Solutions achieved an impressive feat by 2023, surpassing 3 billion streams across its vast music catalog.

Additionally, it has cemented its reputation as a launchpad for emerging talent in Africa, catapulting artists, including Runtown and Yung L to the global world. With a portfolio spanning over 1,000 debut projects worldwide, the company’s expertise in Afrobeats has been instrumental in shaping the genre’s international appeal. Recent forays into gospel music have also yielded impressive results, as evidenced by Mercy Chinwo’s Elevated EP grossing over 100 million streams within 10 months. Moreover, MAD Solutions’ boundary-pushing collaborations, such as “Denge II” featuring King Perryy, Shatta Wale, and Runtown, have dominated charts across multiple countries. The company’s distribution prowess has also propelled Simi’s “To Be Honest” album to chart-topping success in West Africa, solidifying MAD Solutions’ position as a driving force in the music industry.

Pursuant to this, the company’s leadership team is composed of industry experts. While Bugwu Aneto-Okeke serves as CEO, Saheed Albert serves as CTO. Femi Sanusi oversees operations, strategy, and financial analysis as VP. Thus, the board of directors includes Obimilo Okeke, Chimdimma Aneto-Okeke, and Bugwu Aneto-Okeke.