In an effort to deepen her investment in the future of African music, Nigerian musician Tiwa Savage has announced a partnership with Berklee College of Music to train 100 emerging musicians, composers and behind-the-scenes talent.
Through the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, in partnership with Berklee College of Music, the 46-year-old music star aims to expand access to world-class music education in Nigeria.
The foundation’s inaugural initiative is the Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Program. Berklee faculty will come to Lagos from April 23–26, 2026, to lead a fully funded, four-day intensive training session for 100 emerging Nigerian music creators. This program marks the first Berklee College of Music event in West Africa and a milestone for a region driving rapid growth in the global music economy.
“Afrobeats has captured the world’s attention, but attention alone is not enough to sustain an industry. Talent is universal — but access is not,” the singer said.
The program combines theory with real-world application, including music production, songwriting, sound engineering, harmony, and ear training — the ability to identify musical elements, such as pitches, chords, and melodies by sound alone. It also covers music publishing, copyright, and elements of entertainment law.
“You’d be surprised how much you can learn in four days. “It gives you a taste of what’s possible and exposes you to parts of music you may not even realise you’re drawn to.”
The program culminates in live ensemble performances, during which standout participants may be identified for future scholarships to Berklee in Boston, Massachusetts, or for online coursework — positioning the intensive program not as a one-off experience but as a springboard into long-term education, global careers, and sustainable pathways within the music industry.
Savage says the foundation was born out of both experience and urgency. At leading international music schools, annual tuition alone can range from $40,000 to $60,000, excluding living expenses, placing formal music education far beyond the reach of most young creatives in Nigeria and across the continent. By covering all tuition costs, Savage says the foundation is designed to close that gap and turn opportunity into access.
“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for years,” she said.
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.