Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This episode of Afrobeats Intelligence is powered by OkayAfrica, the pulse of African culture, and presented by Martell.
In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Excel Joab, Senior Manager of A&R and Artist Development at AWAL (Sony Music) for West Africa, former Content Acquisition Manager at Boomplay, co-founder of Energize Music, and a key voice in Nigerian music strategy, breaks down the current realities of the Nigerian music industry.
He discusses ROI in the business, the lessons we failed to learn from the global explosion of Afrobeats, the “Now What” moment Nigerian music finds itself in, and the international partners who have exited the market. A clear-eyed conversation on sustainability, growth, and the road ahead for artists, labels, and the industry.
0:00 - Intro
1:03 - Who is Excel Joab?
3:48 - Working in Gospel
5:28 - Level of work behind the scenes
7:58 - Relationships in the industry
10:27 - Dealing with shocking situations
11:44 - Music is a difficult business
13:40 - Having a sense of purpose
17:04 - Jumping the process
19:32 - DIY Culture
22:10 - Promoting music is expensive
22:52 - Nigerians being horrible businessmen
28:50 - Obsession with America
31:04 - Black music struggling
32:09 - Defining value
35:21 - African music’s influence
38:03 - Investing/Funding African music
42:47 - Building community
48:26 - Advantages for new artists
49:55 - Type of artists Excel Joab would invest in
55:05 - What satisfies you?
59:32 - Outro/Credits
Discover more about Martell’s journey with Afrobeats: martell.com/en/martell-afrobeats
Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news.
Substack: afrobeatsintelligence.substack.com
instagram.com/joeyakan
instagram.com/afrobeatsintel
Follow Excel Joab: instagram.com/exceljoab
🌍 For more music, news, and culture from the continent, check out OkayAfrica here: okayafrica.com
Follow us on socials:
Instagram: instagram.com/okayafrica
Facebook: facebook.com/okayafrica/#
X: twitter.com/OkayAfrica
TikTok: tiktok.com/@okayafrica
Join the OkayAfrica Whatsapp channel! : whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEhs9oIN9isCqSED809
Shop OkayAfrica merch here: shop.okayplayer.com/collections/okayafrica-shop
This episode of Afrobeats Intelligence is powered by OkayAfrica, the pulse of African culture, and presented by Martell.
In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Excel Joab, Senior Manager of A&R and Artist Development at AWAL (Sony Music) for West Africa, former Content Acquisition Manager at Boomplay, co-founder of Energize Music, and a key voice in Nigerian music strategy, breaks down the current realities of the Nigerian music industry.
He discusses ROI in the business, the lessons we failed to learn from the global explosion of Afrobeats, the “Now What” moment Nigerian music finds itself in, and the international partners who have exited the market. A clear-eyed conversation on sustainability, growth, and the road ahead for artists, labels, and the industry.
0:00 - Intro
1:03 - Who is Excel Joab?
3:48 - Working in Gospel
5:28 - Level of work behind the scenes
7:58 - Relationships in the industry
10:27 - Dealing with shocking situations
11:44 - Music is a difficult business
13:40 - Having a sense of purpose
17:04 - Jumping the process
19:32 - DIY Culture
22:10 - Promoting music is expensive
22:52 - Nigerians being horrible businessmen
28:50 - Obsession with America
31:04 - Black music struggling
32:09 - Defining value
35:21 - African music’s influence
38:03 - Investing/Funding African music
42:47 - Building community
48:26 - Advantages for new artists
49:55 - Type of artists Excel Joab would invest in
55:05 - What satisfies you?
59:32 - Outro/Credits
Discover more about Martell’s journey with Afrobeats: martell.com/en/martell-afrobeats
Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news.
Substack: afrobeatsintelligence.substack.com
instagram.com/joeyakan
instagram.com/afrobeatsintel
Follow Excel Joab: instagram.com/exceljoab
🌍 For more music, news, and culture from the continent, check out OkayAfrica here: okayafrica.com
Follow us on socials:
Instagram: instagram.com/okayafrica
Facebook: facebook.com/okayafrica/#
X: twitter.com/OkayAfrica
TikTok: tiktok.com/@okayafrica
Join the OkayAfrica Whatsapp channel! : whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEhs9oIN9isCqSED809
Shop OkayAfrica merch here: shop.okayplayer.com/collections/okayafrica-shop
