French And Nigerian Artists Collaborate In Lagos To Shape The Next Wave Of Global Afrobeats

A new cross-continental music collaboration is raising questions about what the future sound of Nigerian pop might look like – and whether it could carry a subtle French influence.

Nine French rap, pop and urban music producers recently travelled to Lagos to work alongside Nigerian Afrobeats creatives, producing more than 60 songs in less than a week. The intensive songwriting camp took place at the headquarters of Mavin Records, one of Nigeria’s most influential music labels and home to stars such as Rema, Ayra Starr, Ladipoe and Magixx.

Throughout the sessions, studios buzzed with a mix of French, English, Nigerian Pidgin and Creole as artists experimented with melodies and rhythms aimed at global audiences.

The initiative was organised by Sacem, the French society representing authors, composers and music publishers, in partnership with the French Embassy in Nigeria and Mavin Records. According to Sacem’s director for international artists’ rights, Akotchaye Okio, the goal was simple: create music with the potential to travel worldwide.

“If even one or two songs reach the level of global success we’ve seen with tracks like Rush or Calm Down, then the camp would be a huge success,” Okio said.

Sacem has previously facilitated similar creative exchanges in countries including the United States, South Korea, France and the Netherlands, but this marks one of its most ambitious engagements on the African continent.

Afrobeats – a genre rooted in West Africa and popularised globally by Nigeria’s diaspora – continues to dominate international charts. Inspired in part by the legacy of Fela Kuti in the 1970s, the genre has evolved into a global sound that blends African rhythms with contemporary pop influences.

Following the camp, Mavin Records’ artists are expected to select preferred instrumentals and complete recordings, potentially turning several of the collaborations into commercial releases.

Inside one of the studios, French producer Maxime Pasquier, known professionally as PSK, worked closely with Nigerian producer Dunnie Alexandra Lawal. For Pasquier, who was visiting Africa for the first time, the experience was eye-opening.

“They really push ideas further,” the 21-year-old beatmaker said, describing the music as both smooth and rhythmically rich.

Singer and songwriter Elestee, signed to Mavin Records, helped refine several of the tracks. One piano-driven song stood out to her in particular. “It gives you a good feeling but also makes you reflect,” she said. “It’s the kind of song you’d play early in the morning while driving. People will connect with it.”

Lawal believes the collaboration reflects the direction Afrobeats is heading. “It may have started in West Africa, but its future is global,” she said.

Mavin Records executive Kizito Ahams noted that international demand – especially from France – has made such partnerships increasingly relevant. In recent years, collaborations between French and Nigerian artists have grown rapidly, with successful releases from acts such as Tiakola and Asake, as well as Joe Dwet File and Burna Boy.

French producer Nassim Diane, also known as Voluptyk, said Afro-influenced music now consistently appears at the top of French charts. He credits Nigeria’s vibrant music culture for its global appeal.

“Music is everywhere here – on the buses, in hotels, on the streets,” he said. “It’s deeply woven into everyday life.”

For Shannon, a singer-songwriter from Martinique, the camp’s biggest value lay in blending styles that rarely intersect. By combining Afrobeats with Shatta – a Caribbean fusion of dancehall, trap and electronic music – she believes new creative doors have been opened.

“When you bring these sounds together, they just work,” she said. “The blend is beautiful.”

As the sessions conclude, the results of the Lagos collaboration may soon reveal whether Nigeria’s next global hits will carry echoes from Paris, Martinique – or somewhere entirely new.