Entertainment executive and artiste manager Otunba Olumide Enilolobo has cautioned that Afrobeats, while globally celebrated, is at risk of slipping out of African ownership due to systemic exploitation by major Western record labels. Speaking ahead of his birthday, he emphasized that the genre has grown beyond culture to become a key contributor to Africa’s creative economy, with African music streams reportedly growing 30–40% annually.

Enilolobo criticized unfair contracts, weak local labels, insufficient legal support, and poor management systems that leave artists excluded from the long-term profits of their work.

“When artists lose ownership, the culture loses ownership,” he said. “Music is not just culture. It is GDP. Africa cannot continue exporting creativity while importing the profits.”

He urged stronger local labels, better legal literacy, and increased investment from both government and private sectors to secure the industry’s economic and cultural future.