Kunbi’s Music Company
Play On: supporting music making in Lagos, NigeriaThis year we’re supporting Kunbi’s Music Company through our Play On fund, specifically their Making a Difference (MAD) Initiative, which seeks to provide affordable music making opportunities to families who would otherwise not be able to have music lessons.
We asked Kunbi Osinoiki, Co-Founder and CEO to tell us more about the MAD Initiative.
Can you tell us something about music making and education in Nigeria?
Nigerians love music and we have artistes like Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Wizz Kid, David O, Tems, Rhema and so many more, who have popularised Nigerian music and who have millions of fans worldwide.
However, the majority of our musicians have had to, at some point in their lives, enrol in music schools outside of Nigeria in order to refine and enhance their skills. Music tuition in Nigeria is predominantly by rote. The cost of purchasing musical instruments and tuition is out of reach of the majority of the population.
How does KMC support young people?
We launched the Making a Difference Initiative in June 2022, with the aim of widening access to music tuition to children in Nigeria.
We have been able to provide financial assistance to families who could otherwise not afford music tuition, deliver lessons in low-income schools and recruit and train intending music teachers so they are better equipped to teach music effectively to children.
How did the Making a Difference Initiative come about?
In the course of my music education journey, I became keenly aware of the power of well-structured music education to help develop a learner’s cognition, character, courage, creativity and confidence and I became burdened by the limited opportunities available to families in Nigeria to access well-structured music lessons.
So in June 2022, I decided to do something about it, and started reaching out to schools in underserved communities to see how we can provide music tuition to their students.
This led us to working with various schools including a school for children with physical and learning disabilities.
That experience led us to fundraising for, and purchasing Africa’s first Soundbeam, which would allow us to provide inclusive music making experiences for children living with disabilities.
What are the next steps for the Making a Difference Initiative?
Thanks to ABRSM Play On funding, we have been able to establish two new centres, from where we will be able to reach more people in those locations.
We have instituted a scholarship programme for teenagers starting in September 2023, where we are looking to provide tuition-free lessons for up to 40 teenagers in our teen band and choir groups.
We are also looking to provide low-cost training for more music educators that would enable them to become properly certified with internationally recognised exam bodies.
Visit KMC’s website at https://kunbismusiccompany.com





















