President William Ruto has announced that three of the world's biggest music companies—Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group—are set to establish operations in Nairobi.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 21, the President described the move as a major endorsement of Kenya's creative industry, citing the country's talent, policy direction, and reforms aimed at making its music sector globally competitive.
The announcement followed a meeting between Ruto and Victoria Oakley, the Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), where they discussed ways of growing Kenya's creative economy.
"I'm encouraged by the shared commitment to strengthening Kenya's creative economy and positioning Nairobi as Africa's next major hub for the recorded music industry," Ruto said.
"I am particularly delighted that Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have all agreed to establish a presence in Nairobi," he added.
The President said the arrival of the three global music companies would create new opportunities for artists, producers, publishers, investors, and other players in Kenya's music industry.
"This is a significant vote of confidence in Kenya's creative talent, our policy direction, and the reforms underway to build a globally competitive music ecosystem," Ruto stated.
Ruto noted that establishing the companies' presence in Nairobi is only the first step in a wider plan to position Kenya as a leading hub for the global recorded music industry.
He said the next phase would focus on implementing policies that enable everyone across the music value chain to flourish, creating jobs, boosting exports, and opening up more opportunities for Kenyan creatives.
The development comes as Kenya pushes to increase the contribution of the creative economy to national growth, with sectors such as music, film, fashion, and digital content viewed as key drivers of employment and investment.
Nairobi has continued to strengthen its reputation as one of Africa's fastest-growing creative hubs, supported by a thriving music industry that cuts across multiple genres.
Beyond the creative sector, the capital has also attracted multinational firms in areas such as artificial intelligence and business process outsourcing, as companies increasingly target Kenya's expanding market.
