Why I set up Music Foundation – Tiwa Savage

By Nehru Odeh

Afrobeats superstar Tiwa Savage has said she established a Music Foundation because she believes the enormous music talents that abound in Nigeria need infrastructure such as the foundation for them to thrive and through which Nigerians can hone their music skills and achieve their dreams.

“The Tiwa Savage Music Foundation started as a need. I thought we needed a foundation such as this in Nigeria. We have so much talent and we need to work on building infrastructure, investing in education, so that when people see the talent we have, they see that they also have access.

“We don’t lack talent in Nigeria; we have so much talent. What I want to do is to be able to create access so that people that have the talent can find the right infrastructure, education, and also be a bridge and a pipeline to the rest of the world,” Tiwa said

Tiwa, popularly known as the Queen of Afrobeats, made this known while speaking with newsmen at the unveiling and official launch of the Tiwa Music Foundation which took place at the Delborough Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on March 9.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other dignitaries were at the event. In his remarks, Sanwo-Olu said he attended the event to celebrate Savage and support the foundation.

“You know what it is about. Today is her day. She’s one of our best, so I have to support her,” the governor said.

The Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, a non-profit organisation is dedicated to providing music education and industry connections to aspiring artists in Africa.

The maiden edition ‘Berklee In Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Program’ is a daily program scheduled to run over the course of four days from April 23-26, 2026, in the county’s creative hub, Lagos.

Applications are set to start from March 10, 2026. With the launch of her music foundation, Tiwa has confirmed that she is a legend, who, beyond curating a successful career is looking at the future.

“Music changed my life. But talent alone isn’t enough, especially when access is limited. I want to build something that opens people’s eyes to the full scope of what’s possible in music. The person who composed the score for a film, who creates music for global campaigns, or who uses music as a tool for healing,” Tiwa noted.

Asked what the foundation is focused on, Tiwa said it is focused on everything that has to do with music – film scoring, music publishing, music therapy, production, sound engineering etc.

“We’re all trying to make Nigeria and the world a better place, and every foundation needs funds. We need funds, and we’re also trying to partner as well. This is what tonight is about.

“The Foundation is dedicated to empowering emerging talent through music, education, and creative opportunity by providing access to world-class music training, mentorship, and resources across the African continent, with a focus on underrepresented and underserved communities.”

In collaboration with her alma mater, Berklee College of Music, where she was awarded a scholarship at 24 to pursue her dreams, the flagship course will offer free education, access to world-class training materials, and mentorship to 100 participants who will be selected based on merit.

“We’re going to be picking 100 talents. We are paying for this through the foundation. They don’t have to pay for anything. The 100 that get chosen will get world-class education in 4 days.

“We’ll pick a few of them and sponsor their full scholarship to go to Berklee, and that includes accommodation.

“So, my advice is that people should use this opportunity. Opportunity favours the prepared. This is the first of many years, so even if you don’t get in this year, you’ll have the chance to prepare for next year and the years to come,” Tiwa stated.

Tiwa Savage Emerging Musicianship Intensive is a four-day program that gives Nigerians access to the Berklee teaching methodology. Participants will be immersed in the Berklee professional music experience and connect with artistic and industry leaders in the West African music marketplace through the expertise of Artistic Advisor, Berklee Alumna and world-renowned artist Tiwa Savage.

This program is designed to provide students with an integrated experience that highlights the interconnection of all aspects of professional music, including performance, songwriting, production, and music business.

By the end of the program, students will have been trained in all these areas. The course content will build on the existing interests of the participants as well as spark curiosity about new and unfamiliar topics.

The Emerging Musician Intensive meets offers participants practical, hands-on training that will enhance their artistry, skills and knowledge of the music industry.

As a young artist, Savage received a scholarship to attend Berklee, an opportunity she credits with fundamentally reshaping her career. There, she was exposed not only to performance, but to the full structure of the music business: production, sound engineering, publishing, film scoring, and other disciplines that power the industry behind the scenes.

“That experience changed how I saw music,” she said. “It made me realize that talent alone isn’t enough. Structure, education, and exposure are what allow creatives to compete globally,” Tiwa said.