Nairobi’s music creatives and industry professionals now have a new platform to sharpen their skills, build valuable relationships and access opportunities that can support long-term careers. Swift Academy, a new pan-African talent development platform created by Martell and curated by Africa House, has launched its first edition in Nairobi. The initiative comes at a time when African music continues to gain international attention, creating greater demand for skilled artists, producers, songwriters and professionals who understand both the creative and business sides of the industry. The Nairobi edition is designed to give emerging talent practical access to experienced industry figures while encouraging collaboration and professional development. The programme is part of Swift Academy’s wider ambition to support up to 100 emerging African creatives during its first year before expanding to other major creative markets across the continent.
The Nairobi programme is targeting emerging artists, producers, songwriters and music industry professionals who are actively developing their careers. Twenty-five participants will be selected for the inaugural Kenyan cohort, giving a focused group of creatives the chance to work directly with established figures from different parts of the music and cultural ecosystem. Rather than focusing only on musical performance, Swift Academy takes a broader approach that includes mentorship, practical workshops, networking, business knowledge and creative development. This approach recognises that building a sustainable music career requires more than talent alone, particularly as artists increasingly have to understand branding, partnerships, distribution, media, audience development and business strategy. For Nairobi’s growing creative community, the programme could therefore provide useful connections and knowledge that are difficult to access through traditional routes.
The academy has brought together an impressive group of mentors whose experience covers different areas of the music industry. Among them is Bensoul, the Kenyan singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for combining African soul, Afropop and R&B with personal storytelling. His experience as an artist and songwriter gives participants an opportunity to learn about the creative process while also gaining insight into developing a distinctive artistic identity. Bensoul has also built experience beyond performing, including songwriting credits and involvement in Kenya’s wider creative community. His presence is particularly relevant for emerging musicians who want to understand how they can develop their sound while building a career that can grow beyond individual releases.
Njerae is another key mentor taking part in the Nairobi edition of Swift Academy. The Kenyan singer, songwriter and producer has established herself through an Afro-Indie sound that draws from R&B, soul and contemporary African influences. Her career demonstrates how an emerging artist can use honest songwriting and a distinctive creative identity to build a strong connection with audiences. Njerae’s experience also gives participants access to a perspective that covers songwriting, production and navigating the modern music landscape as an independent creative voice. Her inclusion adds another dimension to the academy because participants can learn from an artist who has developed a growing audience while maintaining a clear creative identity.
Music publicist Anyiko Owoko will bring a different but equally important perspective to the programme. Owoko has spent more than a decade working across music publicity, curation and cultural strategy and founded Anyiko PR in 2018. Her professional experience includes work with artists, festivals, cultural institutions and major global brands, while her earlier work included playing a role in the growth of Sauti Sol and serving as Entertainment and Music Publicist for Coke Studio Africa. Her participation highlights the importance of communication, media relations and strategic positioning in an artist’s career. For emerging creatives, understanding how to present their work, communicate with media and build relationships with industry stakeholders can be just as important as creating the music itself.
Joey Akan will also join the mentor lineup, bringing extensive experience in music journalism, cultural commentary and media. The Nigerian journalist and founder of Afrobeats Intelligence has spent years documenting the growth and evolution of African music while connecting the industry to wider cultural conversations. His work has appeared in international publications including The New York Times, CNN, The Guardian and The FADER, giving him a broad understanding of how African music is discussed and positioned for audiences around the world. His contribution can help emerging artists and professionals understand the importance of storytelling, media visibility and cultural context in developing a career. It also gives participants an opportunity to consider how their work can be communicated beyond their immediate market and reach wider African and international audiences.
The academy’s structure is designed to make the experience practical rather than purely theoretical. Participants will have opportunities to take part in networking sessions, panel discussions, one-on-one mentoring and hands-on workshops. The programme will culminate in a final showcase where new work can be presented to people from the industry. Swift Academy also offers selected participants access to resources including a creative development grant that can support areas such as music video production, distribution, marketing, equipment or travel for performances and industry meetings. Participants can also receive access to a digital creator toolkit, studio time and the Swift Academy Cultural Hub, which is intended to provide space for collaboration, networking and creative development.
This combination of mentorship and practical support is significant because many emerging creatives face challenges that extend beyond developing their artistic skills. An artist may have strong music but lack knowledge about marketing, contracts, distribution, media relations or commercial partnerships. A producer may have technical ability but need stronger professional networks to find new collaborators and clients. A songwriter may have quality material but require guidance on how to position their work and build relationships with artists, publishers or other industry stakeholders. By bringing different disciplines together, Swift Academy can help participants understand how the different parts of the music ecosystem connect and how stronger professional relationships can create new opportunities.
The timing of the Nairobi edition also reflects the wider growth of Africa’s music economy. African music continues to attract audiences across the continent and internationally, with artists increasingly working across borders and collaborating with global brands, platforms and creative professionals. This growth has created new opportunities, but it has also exposed the need for stronger industry infrastructure and more accessible professional development. Swift Academy is positioned to address part of that gap by connecting emerging talent with people who already have experience navigating the creative and commercial sides of the industry. Its pan-African structure could become especially valuable as participants develop relationships that extend beyond Kenya into other African markets.
Africa House’s role as curator is also central to the programme’s wider ambitions. The platform operates at the intersection of culture, talent and business and has built networks that connect creatives, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders. Through Swift Academy, that network is being used to create a structured pathway for emerging talent to access established industry figures and practical knowledge. The Nairobi edition is the first step in a planned expansion that includes other African creative centres, with Accra also listed for 2026 and Johannesburg and Lagos planned for 2027. This gives the academy the potential to become more than a single-city programme by creating connections between creative communities across different African markets.
For Nairobi’s music community, the value of Swift Academy will ultimately depend on what participants are able to build from the experience. Mentorship can provide direction, but creatives still need to apply the knowledge, develop their work and maintain the relationships they establish through the programme. The opportunity to meet established artists, publicists, journalists and other industry professionals can also help participants gain a clearer understanding of the expectations of a professional music career. The programme’s focus on collaboration could encourage artists and professionals from different disciplines to work together on projects that may not have emerged through their existing networks. If those relationships continue after the cohort ends, Swift Academy could have an impact that extends well beyond its scheduled activities.
The launch of Swift Academy in Nairobi represents an important investment in the people behind Africa’s expanding music ecosystem. By combining mentorship, practical learning, professional networking, creative resources and industry access, the programme is addressing several of the challenges faced by emerging music creatives and professionals. Bensoul, Njerae, Anyiko Owoko and Joey Akan bring different areas of expertise, giving participants access to perspectives that span music creation, artist development, publicity, journalism and cultural strategy. The programme also reflects a broader shift towards developing the infrastructure and professional networks that African creatives need to build sustainable careers. As Swift Academy begins its Nairobi journey, its biggest opportunity lies in helping emerging talent turn skills and ambition into meaningful creative work, stronger professional relationships and new opportunities within Kenya and across Africa.
