In Africa, as in the rest of the world, the digital revolution has completely transformed the music industry. New consumption patterns are emerging and online music platforms are developing.
Musical richness, a young population, high mobile penetration rates, and a proliferation of initiatives to democratize internet access are all opportunities for the development of music streaming. Although the market still appears to be largely untapped, the continent is welcoming more and more players.
English-speaking Africa is a real hotbed of initiatives in this field, with the support of telecom operators. In French-speaking Africa, development is still tentative but represents real potential.
Recently, the Nigerian platform Boomplay, launched in 2015, decided to set its sights on French-speaking Africa by developing its activities there through agreements with local partners in the sector.
In addition to local players, international giants are also eyeing up development opportunities on the continent. At the beginning of April, Apple decided to launch itself on the African markets. The American company launched its Apple Store and Apple Music services in around 20 African countries. In the French-speaking zone, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo will now have access to the Apple catalog. This announcement marks a new stage for the American giant, which is looking to strengthen its international presence in the wake of a global health crisis in which online platforms have been widely embraced by populations in lockdown.
Read also: "Media Business and Music in Africa," the vision of Olivier Laouchez, CEO of the Trace Group