Staff
By BigEyeUg Team
Navio has shared his thoughts on the differences between the Ugandan and Kenyan music industries, saying that although Uganda enjoys strong corporate support for local artists, the financial rewards for musicians have not significantly improved.
Speaking about the long-standing debate on royalties, Navio explained that many Ugandan artists often believe Kenya has a better system for paying musicians. However, according to him, the situation across the border is not as perfect as many assume.
Navio revealed that after closely observing the Kenyan industry, he discovered that artists there also face challenges when it comes to earnings from radio airplay and royalties.
He pointed to complaints raised by well-known Kenyan acts such as Sauti Sol and Bien-Aimé Baraza, who have previously spoken out about the small amounts they receive from radio royalty payments.
“What we found out was that even in Kenya there are some issues I was unaware of,” Navio said, noting that some of the biggest artists there have also questioned the payouts they receive from radio stations.
Despite the challenges in both countries, Navio believes the industries in Uganda and Kenya still have a lot to learn from each other to improve how creatives are compensated.
He also raised concerns about what he described as a “corporate gap” in Uganda’s music business. According to the rapper, while companies continue to sponsor events and support artists, the payments musicians receive have not grown in proportion to the expanding audience and influence of the industry.
Navio explained that years ago artists might have reached about 10 million people and earned around the same amount in shillings. Today, he says, the audience has grown significantly, but the pay has largely remained unchanged.
He compared the situation to countries like Nigeria, where growth in audience numbers often leads to much higher performance fees, sometimes reaching tens of thousands of dollars.
“The numbers we are getting paid should at least go up,” Navio said, emphasizing that artists deserve better financial recognition as the industry continues to grow.
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