M.I. Abaga, a seasoned Nigerian rapper, has said that a large portion of the money supporting Nigerian artists comes from the profits of “Yahoo,” a type of online fraud.
Speaking on the “So Nigerian Podcast,” M.I. stated that this is a troubling truth and a sign that Nigeria’s support for the creative industry is flawed.
It is an “indictment” on the nation, he said, that a significant portion of the industry’s funding comes from outside the country rather than from within.
The rapper made the point that Nigeria needs to improve in order for artists to rely on legitimate and sustainable sources of income rather than shady sponsorship.
“There’s a lot of controversy when people come talking about like Yahoo Yahoo because a lot of artistes, that’s the funding that they have, and it’s when people try to talk about it, to me…I don’t want to be misquoted here, I say the wrong thing.
“But what I’m trying to say is that it’s an indictment on our country that we have such talented musicians and that the major funding for the industry comes from the West and comes from this other industry. It’s an indictment. It shows that something is wrong, which leads us back to your question. Hopefully we can do better,” M.I said.
M I Abaga on funding and support for the entertainment industry https://t.co/34vRyu0fKx pic.twitter.com/4rzkkF5ewy
— So Nigerian podcast (@SoNigerian_) August 12, 2025
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