Why Nigerian Musicians Pay Taxes To Foreign Countries – Mi Abaga

Popular Nigerian born rapper, Jude Abaga popularly called M.I has disclosed that Nigerian musicians sign publishing deals with foreign films because of lack of structure in the Nigerian music industry therefore making them pay their taxes to foreign firm’s and hire foreign staffers.
M.I stated this at a viral symposium organised by the Havard Kenny School Alumni Association of Nigeria on Friday December 11,2020.
The rapper who was speaking at the symposium with the theme, “the Africa, policy dialogue series: Harnessing Africa’s Demographic Dividend for peace, security and productivity through investment in youths” stated that the modern music industry started in 2000 hut it took many years before musicians could begin to benefit.
He said in 2000 there was no music industry and the first people that started had no structure around them and literally even today as we speak that structure is being built everyday and unfortunately what we find out is that our top artistes, if you take the top 10 Nigerian artistes, majority of their taxes are being paid to foreign countries, majority of their workforce will be people that are outside of the country.
”There are some investment in the music business but the real big investment are coming from outside and those catalogue gradually we are selling them off. As Europe is returning some of our artifacts for the next 100 years, “ the bulk of my catalogue is now domiciled under someone else there(abroad). It is almost like the burden to prove that these ideas are viable is on young Nigerians”.
“Nigerians are among the best sub minorities in the US. We conquered basketball, we have conquered music globally and we have conquered film, we are doing amazingly well. All we need in Nigeria is an opportunity”.