In this episode of Afrobeats Intelligence, Excel Joab, Senior Manager of A&R and Artist Development at AWAL (Sony Music) for West Africa, former Content Acquisition Manager at Boomplay, co-founder of Energize Music, and a key voice in Nigerian music strategy, breaks down the current realities of the Nigerian music industry. He discusses ROI in the business, the lessons we failed to learn from the global explosion of Afrobeats, the “Now What” moment Nigerian music finds itself in, and the international partners who have exited the market. A clear-eyed conversation on sustainability, growth, and the road ahead for artists, labels, and the industry. Follow Joey Akan for the latest coverage on African music culture and news. Substack: Afrobeats Intelligence Instagram: @joeyakan Tik Tok: @joeyakan Follow Excel Joab Instagram: @exceljoab Podcast: UNHEARD INSIGHTS with Excel Joab   Created and hosted by award-winning Nigerian journalist and music critic Joey Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence is presented by OkayAfrica, a division of AREYA MEDIA INC, and is sponsored by Martell.  Find exclusive Okayplayer merch, tees and limited releases at https://shop.okayplayer.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices