D’banj brings foreign songs to Nigeria via USSD

Nigerian artist, Oladapo Oyebanji, popularly known as D’banj, has partnered with international music company, Cinq Music Group, to make selected international recordings available to Nigerian music fans through USSD.

The service will allow fans to purchase full-track downloads and caller ring-back tones at prices tailored to the Nigerian market.

The initial offering features American rapper T.I.’s hit song, Live Your Life, featuring Barbadian singer Rihanna.

According to a statement by D’banj’s entertainment platform, C.R.E.A.M., made available to PUNCH Online on Friday, the partnership is aimed at making internationally recognised music accessible through locally designed payment channels.

The platform said the development would bring international recordings into its existing ecosystem of talent discovery, content distribution, monetisation, fan engagement, rewards and gaming.

It described the partnership as a milestone in making international music accessible through a locally owned Nigerian platform, allowing fans to pay through channels designed for the domestic market.

“The partnership will enable Nigerian fans to purchase selected international recordings through USSD, with options including full-track downloads and caller ring-back tones at prices tailored to the Nigerian market,” it stated.

The statement added that the model would provide participating rights holders with clearer records of local consumer demand, as completed purchases generate transaction receipts that can be used to measure commercial performance.

Speaking on the partnership, D’banj said the model would help create value for music rights holders in the Nigerian market.

“When the receipt is generated here, the asset gets value here. A stream is a data point. A sale is a receipt. C.R.E.A.M. is owned here, priced here and pays here,” he said.

He added that the platform was focused on strengthening the relationship between musicians and their audiences.

“Our mission is to create direct access between artists and fans, with super fan engagement like never before,” the statement quoted him as saying.

The company explained that the initiative was part of its direct-to-fan model, which connects creatives with their audiences through music discovery, distribution, monetisation, fan participation and rewards.

It added that the partnership with Cinq Music would expand the range of international recordings available to Nigerian fans while retaining its focus on direct engagement between artists and fans.

C.R.E.A.M. also expressed plans to use the Nigerian launch as a foundation for expanding into other African markets, subject to rights agreements, commercial arrangements and local infrastructure.

It said further details of participating recordings and additional territories would be announced when the necessary arrangements had been confirmed.