African music has awards for its artists, its producers and its DJs. Until now, it hasn’t had one for the people who sign the deals. Music Business Awards Africa sets out to change that. It recognises managers, A&Rs, publishers, lawyers, PR teams and booking agents. Organisers set 23 September for the first nominee announcement, The Citizen reported. The ceremony follows on Saturday 21 November in Pretoria, South Africa.
Founder Gift Mdlalose told The Citizen he had watched the industry celebrate what audiences see on stage while the people who built those careers stayed invisible. The category list reads like the back of an album sleeve. It includes Best A&R Manager, Best Artist Manager and Best Commercial Songwriter. There’s Best Artist Digital Presence, Best Independent Record Label and Best Independent Music Publisher. Management companies, PR and marketing agencies and music law firms get their own awards. Live events production, licensing and music education are covered too.
Recognition creates visibility, and visibility can create opportunities, investment and stronger career pathways.
Gift Mdlalose, to The Citizen
Most coverage skipped one detail. At launch, organisers planned to name nominees on 1 February 2026 and hold the ceremony on 1 May, Music In Africa reported. Both dates have since moved, to September and November. A first-year scheme resetting its calendar isn’t unusual, but the shortlist now has to justify the wait.
The backers suggest the industry is taking it seriously. The Johannesburg launch on 30 October 2025 drew the rights bodies SAMRO, SAMPRA and CAPASSO. Executives from Visa and Mercedes-Benz Motus attended, as did the City of Johannesburg and national government bodies. Organisers say a continental executive board of music business experts governs the awards, using data-driven processes. The company behind the MTN8 awards is making the trophies. Having rights bodies in the room matters. Their royalty data is exactly what fair judging of publishers and labels would need.
The case for the awards is written across this year’s headlines. In Nigeria, the first copyright levy payout sent ₦1.2 billion to songwriters, producers and artists. The country’s video directors say they own none of their work. In South Africa, DJ Maphorisa confirmed over R8 million in royalties paid to NMG Music artists and producers. We also tracked how LVRN quietly dominated South Africa in 2025, with 288 million streams. And Tiwa Savage launched her music foundation with Berklee. These are the deals, disputes and institutions the new awards are meant to name.
The scheme also looks beyond the continent. “African music is travelling globally,” Mdlalose said, “but the professionals and businesses behind that music also need global visibility.” That matters in London, Paris and Brussels, where many African teams are based. For more on the money side of the music, see our Africa & Business section.
