Boost for artists as Mdundo disburses over Ksh.103M in royalties

African music streaming service Mdundo has released slightly over USD 800,000 (Ksh.103 million) in royalties to artists across the continent covering the last six months of 2024.

The platform, which boasts over 38.7 active monthly users presently, commenced the royalty payout season in January 2025 for the period July-December 2024.

The African music streaming giant noted that, since its inception, more than 200,000 artists have earned royalties from the platform, with the number of beneficiaries steadily increasing with each payout cycle.

“Our mission has always been to offer African artists a sustainable platform to thrive. By delivering consistent and substantial earnings, we are contributing to the growth of individual artists while supporting the long-term development of the African music industry as a whole,” Mdundo CEO Martin Nielsen noted.

Phiona Nafuna, Head of Licensing, highlighted the platform’s artist-centric focus: “Mdundo remains focused on empowering African musicians by ensuring fair and timely compensation. This is central to our mission to support artists, enhance the structure of the music industry, and contribute to the growing legal and financial framework within the sector.”

Mdundo now says it aims to increase its royalty disbursements to between USD 1.5 million (Ksh.193 million) and USD 2 million (Ksh.258 million) by 2026, with a special focus on uplifting hyperlocal artists.