Popular Nigerian rapper, Jude Abaga, also known as M.I, has claimed that many Nigerian musicians rely on funding from internet fraudsters, popularly called Yahoo Boys, and foreign sources to finance their music careers.
Speaking on the So Nigerian podcast, M.I described the situation as a national embarrassment, saying it reflects poorly on the country’s support for its own creative talents.
“There’s a lot of controversy when people talk about Yahoo Yahoo, because for a lot of artists, that is where their funding comes from,” he said. “It’s an indictment on our country that most of the funding for such a vibrant industry is coming from the West and the fraud industry. It shows that something is wrong.”
He further expressed concern over the lack of structured financial support from within Nigeria for the entertainment sector.
According to the veteran rapper, young creatives are mostly relying on support from their peers, while wealthy Nigerians and the government have done little to provide meaningful investment in the industry.
M.I called for urgent action to improve local funding and create better opportunities for talented artists to thrive through legitimate means.
