By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Nigerian Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage has launched the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and secured a landmark partnership with Berklee College of Music, bringing the globally renowned institution’s training programme to Lagos for the first time.
The 46-year-old singer announced the initiative on Wednesday,25 February,2026 via her social media platforms, declaring, “After years of building globally… It’s time to build at home,” while outlining plans to empower emerging African creatives through structured music education and mentorship.
The foundation’s debut project Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme will run in Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026, with Berklee faculty scheduled to deliver a fully funded four-day training for 100 aspiring Nigerian music creators. The programme, notably, marks Berklee’s first official event in West Africa.
Savage described the foundation as “a new initiative dedicated to empowering emerging African creatives through access, mentorship and world-class music education.” She added, “For the first time ever, Berklee comes to Lagos with the Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme, empowering Africa’s next generation of talent.”
Berklee College of Music, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is widely recognised as the world’s largest independent college of contemporary music, offering specialised programmes in jazz, modern American music and other genres, including rock, hip hop and reggae.
In an interview with CNN, Savage emphasised that despite Afrobeats’ global rise, the industry requires deeper structural investment to ensure sustainability.
“Afrobeats has captured the world’s attention, but attention alone is not enough to sustain an industry. Talent is universal but access is not,” she said.
According to CNN, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation is designed to address that access gap. Beyond performers and vocalists, the initiative will prioritise producers, composers, sound engineers and music business professionals — areas Savage identified as essential to building a resilient creative economy across Africa.
Furthermore, Savage underscored the value of short, intensive training formats.
“You’d be surprised how much you can learn in four days. It gives you a taste of what’s possible and exposes you to parts of music you may not even realise you’re drawn to,” she said.
The programme will combine theoretical instruction with hands-on learning, covering music production, songwriting, harmony, ear training and sound engineering. Participants will also receive sessions on music publishing, copyright and elements of entertainment law. Organisers said the training will culminate in live ensemble performances.
Outstanding participants, Savage noted, may subsequently be considered for scholarships to study at Berklee’s Boston campus or enrol in its online courses.
She explained that the foundation was partly driven by personal experience and the financial realities facing many African creatives. Tuition at leading international music institutions, she observed, typically ranges between $40,000 and $60,000 annually, excluding living expenses. “It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for years,” Savage said.
Savage herself previously attended Berklee on scholarship an opportunity she credited with reshaping her professional outlook.
“That experience changed how I saw music,” she said. “It made me realise that talent alone isn’t enough. Structure, education and exposure are what allow creatives to compete globally.”
With the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and the forthcoming Lagos programme, the singer said her focus remains on building enduring systems capable of supporting Africa’s next generation of creative talent.
