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Directory

African Music Companies

Labels, distributors, publishers, studios, promoters and platforms working across African music. Listings are editorial and free, and every one is checked against its sources before it appears.

  • 626 companies
  • 13 categories
  • 57 markets

Label

The Cake Bizness

Lagos artist-development label founded 2024 by Gilbert "A-Q" Bani on a startup-equity model; announced Spyro as a signee in 2024.

Nigeria

Live & Events

The Canvas

Conferencing and events venue in Fourways, Johannesburg, also used for large concerts and festivals.

Fourways, Johannesburg, South Africa thecanvasriversands.co.za

Live & Events

The Chairman

A live jazz venue, bar and restaurant in Durban's Point Precinct, founded by architect Ndabo Langa in 2014.

Durban, South Africa

Label

The NATIVE

Lagos music and culture publication founded in 2016, part of Native Networks alongside Native Records and the NATIVELAND festival.

Lagos, Nigeria thenativemag.com

Distributor

The Orchard

Sony-owned distribution and label-services company with offices in Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi.

New York, United States theorchard.com

Live & Events

The Ostrich

Outdoor entertainment venue on Cape Town's Ostrich Ranch, host to Ultra South Africa and Black Coffee's Cape Town weekender.

Philadelphia, Cape Town, South Africa theostrichcapetown.co.za

Label

The Vth Season

Independent South African record label and artist management agency founded by Raphael Benza, based in Sandton.

Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa vthseason.com

TheCAPMusic, Inc.

Lagos-based Nigerian record label and management company built around founder Spinall, independently owned, with an exclusive worldwide licence to Epic Records/Sony Music Entertainment since June 2023.

Lagos, Nigeria thecapmusic.live

Live & Events

Ticketmaster

Live Nation-owned ticket marketplace. Entered the South African market in 2022 and acquired Cape Town platform Quicket in July 2024.

Beverly Hills, California, United States business.ticketmaster.com

Label

Tinny Entertainment

Lagos record label that launched rapper Ycee, now dormant.

Lagos, Nigeria

Tiso Blackstar Group SE

UK-incorporated, London-headquartered former JSE-listed owner of the Gallo music business, sold Gallo in 2020 and delisted the same year.

London, United Kingdom

Label

Tjoe Records

Lagos record label and physical distributor, with current operating status unconfirmed.

Lagos, Nigeria

To Your Ears Entertainment

Record label carrying Nigerian artist BNXN's phonogram credits, jointly with EMPIRE since October 2021.

Lagos, Nigeria

Label

Tog Life Music

Imprint named as the sound recording copyright owner on Yaw Tog releases from November 2021 onward.

Tosca Penta Music Limited Partnership

Glasgow limited partnership named in the Akazoo merger prospectus as a shareholder holding 23.6 per cent of the group before the Nasdaq combination.

United Kingdom (Scotland)

Media

Trace

Afro-urban media group, French-headquartered, with extensive named African music-media operations.

Clichy, France trace.tv

TS Records

South African record label named as rights holder on Zahara's 2011-2015 albums, now dormant.

Live & Events

Tukutane Entertainment

Nairobi-based concert and festival promoter founded by Khalani Sichangi, who also founded parent group KS Group Africa.

Nairobi, Kenya tukutane.live

Distributor

TuneCore

Self-service distributor owned by Believe, with offices in Lagos and Johannesburg.

Brooklyn, United States tunecore.com

Technology

Tuned Global

Independent Australian B2B streaming technology vendor powering Sewasew (Ethiopia), Jumamo (Nigeria), Tieme Music (Ghana) and WAW Musik (Cote d'Ivoire).

Melbourne, Australia tunedglobal.com

TunesBid Limited

Lagos company that launched in 2021 as a marketplace for producers and songwriters and later operated as a record label.

Nigeria

Label

U-Records & Entertainment

In-house record label of Lagos media company Ultima Studios, signing winners of its Next Afrobeats Star talent competition.

Lagos, Nigeria

Media

Ukhozi FM

isiZulu-language SABC station, founded in 1960 and among Africa's largest by listenership.

Durban, South Africa ukhozifm.co.za

Media

Ultima Studios

Lagos television and media production company behind Project Fame West Africa and Next Afrobeats Star, and operator of the in-house label U-Records.

Lagos, Nigeria ultima.ng

Umuthi Othi Thi (Pty) Ltd

South African record label run by Afro-pop duo Blaq Diamond, holding their own masters since splitting from Ambitiouz Entertainment.

South Africa

Collecting Society

UNAC-SA

Angola's public collective management society for authors, performers and producers, based in Luanda.

Luanda, Angola unacsa.ao

Distributor

UnitedMasters

US self-service music distributor that launched a dedicated Nigeria market entry in December 2023.

Brooklyn, United States unitedmasters.com

Universal Music Africa

Universal Music Group's regional division for francophone, Hispanophone and Lusophone Africa, headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Abidjan, Ivory Coast umgsa.africa

Label

Universal Music Group

Recorded music and publishing group running Universal Music Nigeria, Universal Music Africa and Def Jam Africa, and majority owner of Mavin.

Hilversum, Netherlands universalmusic.com

Label

Universal Music Group Africa

Universal Music Group's African regional operation: wholly owned, run through national offices in Johannesburg, Lagos and Abidjan, with Africa-specific imprints including Def Jam Africa.

Johannesburg / Lagos / Abidjan, Multiple - Johannesburg (South Africa), Victoria Island, Lagos (Nigeria/West Africa), and Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (Francophone/Lusophone/Hispanophone Africa) umgsa.africa

Label

Universal Music Group East Africa

Universal Music Group's East Africa division, led by Chinasa Udeala; announced a Kaka Empire partnership in March 2026.

NOT ESTABLISHED., Kenya

Label

Universal Music Kenya Limited

Label of record on two 2026 King Kaka releases per MusicBrainz; relationship to Universal Music Group not independently confirmed.

NOT ESTABLISHED., Kenya

Publisher

Universal Music Publishing Group

The music publishing arm of Universal Music Group, publicly documented via US copyright filings as the administrator of Nigerian label group Mavin's catalogue since September 2025.

United States umusicpub.com

Live & Events

Untitled Basement

Live-music venue and bar in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa

Label

Urbantainment

Name on a single MusicBrainz label credit for Kwesta's 2014 debut album; likely deregistered, no website found, status unconfirmed.

South Africa

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