The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) is embarking on an ambitious initiative to empower 1.2 million young Africans in the creative sector over the next five years. Christened the AFRIMA Kreative Academy (TAKA), this project seeks to bridge the skills gap and create employment opportunities within the African music industry and broader creative landscape. TAKA’s core mission revolves around education, skills development, and job creation, addressing the urgent need for structured training and accessible opportunities for talented African youth. Under the theme “Learn and Prosper,” the academy aims to equip young Africans aged 18-35, particularly those from underserved and vulnerable communities, with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the competitive creative industry.
Driven by over two decades of experience in the creative sector, AFRIMA founder and executive producer, Mike Dada, recognizes the immense potential of Africa’s creative talent pool but also the significant lack of structured training and access to opportunities that often hinders its full realization. TAKA intends to rectify this by providing world-class training in key areas of the music ecosystem. The academy’s curriculum spans music production, music business and entrepreneurship, event technical production, digital technology, and the Internet of Things, encompassing both the artistic and business aspects of the industry.
TAKA’s training program will operate on a structured schedule, offering three four-month cycles each year. This intensive approach allows for focused learning and skill development. To ensure the highest quality of instruction, AFRIMA will leverage its extensive network to engage top music producers, artists, sound engineers, and event professionals from Africa and the diaspora to serve as trainers, mentors, and potential employers. This direct connection to industry experts will not only provide valuable knowledge and skills but also facilitate networking and potential career opportunities for the academy’s graduates.
Beyond the technical training, TAKA’s broader objective is to generate positive social and economic impact across the continent.
