Award-winning singer, Tiwa Savage, has officially launched a new initiative, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, to discover, train and support emerging music talents across Africa.
The foundation was unveiled on March 9, 2026, in Lagos during a launch attended by major figures from entertainment, business and the public sector.
At the event, the 46-year-old singer said the project would go beyond grooming performers and would also pay attention to other important parts of the music business.
“This is everything to do with music, film scoring, music publishing, music therapy, production, sound engineering,” the award-winning singer said.
Savage said the goal of the foundation is to help talented young Africans gain the training, structure and opportunities they need to grow.
We don’t lack talents in Nigeria, we have so much talents. What I want to do is to be able to create access so that people that have the talent can find the right infrastructure, education and can also be a bridge and pipeline to the rest of the world,” Savage said.
As part of its first programme, the foundation will choose 100 creatives from across Africa for a four day intensive training in Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026.
The programme is being organised in collaboration with Berklee College of Music, Savage’s alma mater. Faculty members from the institution are expected to travel to Nigeria to take part in the training.
Selected participants will be taught songwriting, live performance, music production and the business side of music. The training will be offered free to all successful applicants.
Savage said the idea grew from her personal experience at Berklee in the mid 2000s, where she studied music and gained deeper insight into the industry.
We are going to be picking a 100 talents, and we are paying for this foundation; they don’t have to pay anything. The 100 that gets chosen will get world class education in four days, and we will pick a few of them that we will actually sponsor the full scholarship to go to Berklee and accommodation,” she said.
She also urged young creatives to take the application seriously and prepare themselves for the opportunity.
“My advice is to use this opportunity…opportunity favours the prepared. This is the first of many years; even if you don’t get it this year you will have the chance to prepare for next year.”
Applications are open until March 20, 2026, for musicians, producers, songwriters and other creatives from across the continent.
Savage said the foundation is not only for artistes in front of the spotlight, but also for those working behind the scenes, including producers, sound engineers, instrumentalists and music executives.
She noted that proper music education and access to the right networks can make a major difference in how creative careers develop.
Looking back on her own journey, Savage said studying music abroad exposed her to a more organised system and helped her better understand the business side of the industry, including ownership and career growth.
Beyond the training programme, the foundation also plans to offer mentorship, learning tools and long term career support for young African creatives.
Speaking on the need for support and collaboration, Savage said partnerships would be key to the foundation’s success.
“I don’t think you can ever have enough foundations. We are all trying to make Nigeria and the world a better place. Every foundation needs funds and we need funds; we are also trying to partner.
The launch drew a long list of guests from entertainment, business and public life.
Among those present were media entrepreneur Mo Abudu, talent manager Bose Ogulu, television host Toke Makinwa, musician Darey Art Alade and socialite Yeni Kuti.
Also at the event were singer Johnny Drille and his wife, Layal Holm, entrepreneur Shade Okoya, businesswoman Florence Ita-Giwa, music executive Soso Soberekon, reality TV star Sultana and cleric Bolaji Idowu.
The event also attracted political and business leaders, including the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry, Olasupo Olusi, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Adaora Umeoji, and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Festus Osifo.
Speaking at the launch, the governor praised Savage as one of Nigeria’s leading music stars and stressed the need to keep investing in the creative sector as part of national development.
