Make Music Nigeria is gearing up to mark the 2025 edition of World Music Day with a dynamic range of activities aimed at spotlighting unsigned talent and fostering collaboration across Nigeria’s music ecosystem. 

The event, which is scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 21, 2025, will feature live performances, workshops, panel discussions, and global artist exchanges across multiple Nigerian cities.

Speaking ahead of the celebration, Managing Director of Make Music Nigeria, Mrs. Adeola Akinyemi, popularly known as Mrs A, said the movement has grown remarkably since its inception. 

“We held the first Make Music Nigeria event on 21 June 2016 with the goal of celebrating World Music Day in a single day,” she explained. 

“Today, it has evolved into a year-round programme that includes concerts, music business conferences, artist collaborations, and educational events for artists and the general public.”

In the past year, the group introduced new initiatives including the Music Business Series—comprising workshops and masterclasses throughout the year—Battle of the Bands, a national band competition, and Make Music Live, a performance platform that runs annually. These programmes aim to bridge the gap for unsigned and underground artists seeking exposure and professional development.

Akinyemi noted that Make Music Nigeria has played a pivotal role in shaping opportunities for emerging talent, citing the example of Johnny Drille, who performed at the very first event as an unknown, unsigned artist.

This year’s Music Business Conference—a core part of the World Music Day celebration—will focus on the theme: “The Artist’s Blueprint: Craft, Clarity, and Career”. The event will bring together aspiring artists, music professionals, and record label hopefuls to explore the business side of music in Nigeria.

The long-term vision, according to Akinyemi, is to have Make Music events in every state of the federation by its 20th anniversary. So far, the initiative is active in Lagos, Owerri, Ilorin, Uyo, Kaduna, Ibadan, and Abuja, with a volunteer network of over 200 people.

Make Music Lagos, also known in French as Fedla Music, continues to benefit from strategic partnerships, particularly with Alliance Française de Lagos and the French Embassy in Nigeria.

According to Precious Nado, Marketing Executive at Alliance Française de Lagos, the collaboration has helped transform the event’s reach. 

“Partnering Make Music has taken our celebration from a small venue with just 100 attendees to an event with thousands,” she said. “It’s about access—access to music, to mentors, and to creativity—at no cost to the audience.”

The key highlights include New Music Marathon where artists are invited to submit new music, which will be distributed to partner radio and TV stations for free public airplay; and My Song Is Your Song, a global music exchange programme where artists submit original tracks to be recreated by artists in other cities around the world.

Others include a panel session discussion titled “Establishing a Strong Artistic Identity: A Foundation for Creative Success”; Workshops and Interactive sessions in collaboration with a legal advisory firm and a music distribution company; as well as the Album Listening Party with Private sessions featuring artists from the Make Music community, offering them a platform to share new projects.

As preparations continue, organisers say the 2025 edition is expected to be one of the most expansive yet, reaffirming Nigeria’s place on the global map of World Music Day celebrations.