Veteran rapper Jude Abaga, popularly known as M.I, has alleged that internet fraudsters bankroll a significant portion of the Nigerian music industry.
Speaking on the ‘So Nigerian’ podcast, the rapper described it as an indictment on the nation that most of the industry’s funding comes from the West and from illicit sources. He stressed that Nigeria must do better in providing legitimate support for its creative sector.
“There’s a lot of controversies when people talk about Yahoo Yahoo, because a lot of artists—that is the funding they have. It’s an indictment on our country that we have such talented musicians and that the major funding for the industry comes from the West and the fraud industry. It shows something is wrong. Hopefully, we can do better,” he said, urging wealthy Nigerians to invest in local talent.