Afrobeat icon Femi Kuti has reignited conversations about the state of Nigeria’s touring industry, following a candid remark about the challenges musicians face in taking their craft across the country.
Speaking recently, Kuti said: “It is easier for me to tour Europe than to tour Nigeria. The system here makes it almost impossible from infrastructure to security to logistics. That’s why most artists don’t even bother.”
His statement has struck a chord with fans and industry observers, who note that despite Nigeria producing some of the world’s biggest music stars, nationwide tours remain rare. High costs, lack of functional venues, poor road networks, and limited corporate sponsorship continue to discourage artists from staging concerts beyond Lagos and Abuja.
Analysts argue that this imbalance not only deprives fans in other regions of live music experiences but also stunts the growth of Nigeria’s entertainment economy. “Our stars are global ambassadors, yet at home we’ve failed to build a system that supports touring,” one industry watcher noted.
For many, Kuti’s words serve as a reminder and a call to action: if Nigeria is to fully harness the power of its cultural exports, the touring ecosystem must be fixed to match the global stature of its artists.
