Why talent alone isn’t enough in Nigeria’s events industry
By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s live entertainment industry on Thursday said technical expertise alone is no longer enough to succeed, citing the continued preference of some Nigerian artistes, including Afrobeats star Davido, for foreign production crews as evidence of the confidence gap facing local professionals.
The concern was raised at the second edition of the Amplify Conference, themed The Business of Life, where conference convener Olusiji Ewedemi argued that Nigerian sound engineers, lighting designers and stage production specialists possess the expertise to deliver world-class productions but are often overlooked in favour of their foreign counterparts.
According to Ewedemi, the industry’s biggest challenge is no longer a shortage of talent but a lack of trust in local professionals.
“We have talented both old and young ones,” Ewedemi said, questioning why Nigerian artistes would engage production crews from countries such as the United Kingdom when equally qualified professionals are available locally.
He said the preference for foreign technical crews has denied many Nigerian professionals opportunities to showcase their capabilities while slowing the growth of the country’s live production industry.
Delivering the keynote address, entertainment executive Temidayo Oladehin urged practitioners to move beyond the culture of constant hustle and focus on building sustainable businesses.
“I finally stopped confusing being busy with building something,” Oladehin said, stressing that long-term success depends on building systems rather than simply securing more gigs.
He urged professionals to properly value their services by considering equipment costs, logistics, years of experience and operational expenses when setting their rates.
Oladehin also distinguished between cash flow and profit, warning that many businesses fail not because they lack jobs but because they exhaust their cash reserves while waiting to be paid for completed projects.
Speaking during a fireside chat, sound engineer Precious Taiwo said many professionals in the events industry appear successful despite struggling financially.
“It’s very easy for people to believe that you’re making money,” Taiwo said, explaining that frequent bookings often leave little profit after operational costs have been deducted.
Also speaking, Bisilola Bakare described delayed payments as one of the major challenges confronting freelancers, noting that some practitioners wait months or even years to receive payment for completed jobs.
Bakare urged professionals to embrace written contracts, demand upfront deposits and charge appropriately for their expertise instead of accepting poor business practices as the norm.
To address some of the industry’s challenges, Ewedemi announced the launch of the Amplify Live Production Academy, an initiative designed to provide internationally benchmarked training and certification for sound engineers, lighting designers, stage managers and other technical professionals.
He said the academy would help improve professional standards, strengthen confidence in Nigerian production crews and position them to compete effectively on the global stage.