“Music Virality Is Not Infrastructure,” Legit.ng’s Felix Imoh Calls for Media Ownership at AMBS 2026
African music is enjoying one of its most successful global moments in history. From viral hits to sold-out international tours, African sounds are shaping global music culture. Yet, at the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS) 2026 by the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA Awards), a critical message rang clear: global popularity without media ownership limits Africa’s long-term power.
Source: UGC
That was the core argument advanced by Felix Imoh, Public Relations Manager at Legit.ng, during Panel Session 3: “Global Media + Music: The Missing Link for Africa,” organised by AFRIMA Awards.
A defining moment for Africa’s creative economy
The summit, held on January 8, 2026, at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, convened artists, media executives, policymakers, broadcasters, and investors to examine how Africa can move from cultural visibility to economic control.
Speaking to a packed audience, Felix Imoh challenged the industry to rethink the role of media in Africa’s music success story.
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“Africa doesn’t have a talent problem or a visibility problem,” he said. “What we’re missing is strong, Africa-owned media infrastructure and narrative that consistently shape how our music is valued globally.”
Legit.ng and the power of African storytelling
Felix positioned Legit.ng as a leading media force telling the stories of Africa’s creative economy, not just reporting trends but actively shaping how African music is understood, valued, and engaged with worldwide.
As one of Africa’s most influential digital-native media platforms, Legit.ng reaches over 10 million readers across the continent and the diaspora, amplifying African voices while framing news coverage within broader conversations about entertainment, creativity, culture, business, technology, and ownership.
According to Felix Imoh, this role is critical at a time when African music often enters global markets through fleeting virality rather than sustained editorial pipelines.
“Media doesn’t just amplify success; it builds credibility, context, and continuity,” he noted. “That’s how artists move from being viral sensations to globally bankable brands,” he added.
Source: Original
From streams to systems
Drawing on real-world examples, Imoh explained how consistent media narratives have helped African artists such as Tems, Rema, Ayra Starr, and CKay transition from breakout acts to internationally recognised brands, unlocking touring opportunities, licensing deals, and global partnerships.
He also highlighted how data, analytics, charts, and playlists increasingly determine which artists break into new markets, and why African media organisations must play a more central role in interpreting and exporting this data.
“If African data is not informing global decisions, then African creators will always be reacting instead of leading,” he said.
Diaspora media, algorithms, and the future
The discussion also explored the influence of diaspora media in validating African music before it enters mainstream Western spaces, as well as the growing impact of AI and algorithmic curation on discoverability. Imoh argued that African media houses must learn to navigate and ethically influence these systems to ensure African music is not just discovered, but properly contextualised and monetised.
Shaping Africa’s global music narrative
Panel Session 3 of the Summit further underscored the need for deeper collaboration between media and music stakeholders, stronger syndication models, and policies that protect African intellectual property across borders.
For Legit.ng, Imoh’s participation reinforces the media platform’s broader mission: to document, elevate, and shape the global narrative of Africa’s creative economy, ensuring that African music is not only heard around the world but also fairly valued within it.
As the summit drew to a close, one message resonated strongly with attendees: Africa’s music revolution is already global. The next phase, as Imoh emphasised, is about owning the stories, the systems, and the value they create.
Source: Legit.ng
