Global Afrobeats icon Tiwa Savage is expanding her commitment to the future of African music with the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, a new initiative aimed at widening access to world-class music education in Nigeria.
In partnership with Berklee College of Music, the foundation will provide intensive training for 100 emerging Nigerian artists and music professionals.
The foundation’s first project, titled Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Program, will bring Berklee faculty to Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026.
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Over four fully funded days, participants will receive hands-on instruction in music production, songwriting, harmony, ear training, and sound engineering, alongside sessions on music publishing, copyright, and entertainment law.
The initiative marks Berklee’s first-ever program in West Africa, highlighting the region’s growing influence in the global music industry.
Speaking on the initiative, Savage emphasized that while Afrobeats has gained massive international attention, long-term industry growth depends on structured education and access to opportunity.
She noted that talent is widespread, but access to formal training is not, particularly given the high tuition costs at leading global music schools, which can range between $40,000 and $60,000 annually, excluding living expenses.
The program will conclude with live ensemble performances, and outstanding participants may be considered for further opportunities, including scholarships to study at Berklee’s Boston campus or enroll in its online courses.
Savage hopes the intensive will serve not merely as a short-term workshop but as a launchpad for sustained global careers.
Savage herself once attended Berklee on scholarship, an experience she credits with reshaping her understanding of the music business beyond performance.
Exposure to production, publishing, film scoring, and sound engineering, she said, revealed the structural backbone that supports successful global music careers.
That experience inspired her to create a platform that supports not just artists, but also producers, composers, engineers, and other behind-the-scenes professionals critical to the industry’s value chain.
The initiative comes at a pivotal moment for African music.
Sub-Saharan Africa is among the fastest-growing recorded music markets globally, with revenues surpassing $110 million in 2024, according to industry data.
Streaming of Afrobeats on platforms such as Spotify has surged by over 500% in the past five years, while Nigeria remains one of the continent’s largest music export markets and home to one of the world’s youngest populations.
Savage believes that without institutional investment and structured education, African creatives risk global visibility without economic empowerment.
Through her foundation, she aims to convert international attention into lasting infrastructure that strengthens the entire music ecosystem.
Beyond the Lagos intensive, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation plans to offer full scholarships for Nigerian students to study in Boston and ultimately establish a permanent music school in Nigeria, a legacy project Savage says is designed to create sustainable opportunity for future generations.
Applications for the 2026 program open on February 24 and close on March 20, with full tuition covered for all selected participants.
