Why Nigerian artistes still hire foreign production crews despite local expertise – Amplify stakeholders

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s live entertainment industry on Thursday questioned the continued reliance of some of the country’s biggest music stars on foreign production crews, arguing that Nigerian sound engineers, lighting designers and other technical professionals possess the expertise required to deliver productions that meet international standards.

The concern was raised at the second edition of the Amplify Conference, themed The Business of Life, where the conference convener, Olusiji Ewedemi, cited Afrobeats star Davido as an example while discussing what participants described as a persistent lack of confidence in local technical talent.

According to Ewedemi, the industry’s challenge is no longer one of competence but of perception, with foreign professionals often commanding higher fees and greater trust despite the availability of skilled Nigerian practitioners.

“We have talented both old and young ones,” Ewedemi said, adding that many local production professionals have consistently demonstrated their ability to deliver world-class sound, lighting and stage productions but continue to be overlooked for major projects.

Ewedemi said the preference for foreign crews has limited opportunities for Nigerian technical professionals and slowed the growth of the country’s live production ecosystem.

To address the challenge, organisers unveiled the Amplify Live Production Academy, an initiative aimed at providing structured training and internationally benchmarked certification for sound engineers, lighting designers, stage managers and other live event professionals.

Ewedemi said the academy would equip participants with globally recognised skills while strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s technical workforce.

He expressed optimism that increased investment in local capacity would encourage artistes, promoters and event organisers to engage more Nigerian professionals for large-scale productions.