The Female Executives Shaping the Future of Nigerian Music

The global rise of Nigerian music has been driven not only by its artists but also by executives working behind the scenes, including women whose leadership is helping shape the industry’s growth. While artists are often the public faces of that success, executives negotiate deals, develop talent, build international partnerships and manage careers that keep the industry moving forward. Among them are women whose work continues to influence how Nigerian music is created, marketed and exported.

Here are some of the women working across different areas of the Nigerian music industry.

Temi Adeniji

Photo: Facebook

As Managing Director of Warner Music Africa and Senior Vice President, Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa and Special Projects at Warner Music Group, Temi Adeniji oversees the company’s operations across the region. During her time at Warner Music, she has helped drive the company’s expansion in Africa through investments and partnerships, including a majority stake in Africori and a strategic alliance with Chocolate City. She has also been involved in the international growth of African artists, with Warner Music supporting the global rise of CKay’s Love Nwantiti, one of the biggest Afrobeats crossover records in recent years. Her work spans business strategy, artist development and long-term growth across African markets.

Rima Tahini

Photo: Instagram/@rimouuune

Rima Tahini is Senior Vice President, A&R and Creatives at Mavin Global. She joined the company after working on Kupanda Capital’s investment in Mavin before moving into artist and repertoire (A&R), where she steadily rose through the ranks. Today, she leads Mavin’s A&R and creative teams, working closely with artists on music development, release planning and creative direction. During her time at the label, Mavin artists including Rema and Ayra Starr have expanded their global reach through international chart success, award nominations and collaborations, reflecting the label’s growing influence in the global music business.

Ronami Ogulu

Photo: Instagram/@r0nami

Ronami Ogulu is part of the executive team at Spaceship Collective, the company that manages Burna Boy’s career. Her responsibilities include business operations, partnerships and long-term strategy for the Grammy-winning artist. During her time with Spaceship Collective, the company has overseen a period of significant international growth for Burna Boy, including major performances, sold-out tours and expanded global partnerships.

Vanessa Amadi-Ogbonna

Photo: Instagram/@missamadi

Vanessa Amadi-Ogbonna is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of VA PR, a public relations agency with clients across music, television and entertainment. Over the years, she has worked with artists including Davido and Tiwa Savage, helping shape media campaigns and public communications around major career moments. Her agency was involved in the public relations campaign for Davido’s landmark concert at The O2 Arena in London, one of several projects that strengthened the international visibility of Nigerian music.

Princess Chizaram

Photo: Instagram/@theradiochef

Princess Chizaram, popularly known as TheRadioChef, is an A&R Manager at Sony Music West Africa. In her role, she oversees the portfolios of artists including Qing Madi, Mayorkun, Gyakie and Oladapo, working across artist development and creative direction. She also served as a judge on the MTN Best of the Street talent competition, where she evaluated emerging musicians. In 2023, she was named among TurnTable Charts’ 30 Under 30 Power Players in Nigerian Music, recognising young professionals contributing to the growth of the industry.

Elizabeth Sobowale

Photo: Instagram/@elizabeth_sho

Elizabeth Sobowale is the founder of The Other Agency and the manager of Afrobeats singer Adekunle Gold. She has overseen his career through major projects, including the Catch Me If You Can (2022) and Tequila Ever After (2023) album campaigns, helping shape both his artistic direction and commercial brand. Beyond artist management, she serves as Programme Director of the Creative Business Academy (CBA) for Africa, formerly known as the Music Business Academy for Africa. The academy trains emerging professionals across the creative industries and has partnered with organisations such as Spotify to deliver industry-focused programmes and masterclasses.

Keke Hammond

Photo: Instagram/@kekehammond

Keke Hammond is the Chief Operating Officer of Flytime Promotions and the Chief Executive Officer of Road14 Studios. At Flytime, she oversees the operational planning, sponsorships and commercial partnerships behind some of Nigeria’s biggest live music events. Her work has been central to the growth of Flytime Fest, which has expanded into a multi-day festival featuring Nigerian and international artists, including Davido, Asake, Rema and Central Cee. Through her leadership on the business and production side, she has helped strengthen one of Africa’s most established live entertainment platforms.

The success of Nigerian music is often measured by chart performance, sold-out concerts and international awards. Behind many of those achievements, however, are executives handling negotiations, partnerships, publicity, career planning and business strategy. As Nigerian music continues to reach new audiences around the world, the industry’s future will depend not only on the artists on stage but also on the executives making key decisions behind the scenes.