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By Damilola Fatunmise
The Music Business Academy for Africa, a pioneering force in developing talent for the continent’s creative sector, today announced a significant evolution: it has been renamed the Creative Business Academy for Africa (CBA for Africa).
This strategic rebranding reflects the academy’s expanded focus from exclusively music to a holistic, cross-sector approach encompassing the entire creative economy.
Founded in 2020, the academy has been instrumental in building a skilled workforce for Africa’s music industry, graduating over 1,500 professionals. The new name, CBA for Africa, signifies a bold step forward in its mission to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will drive economic growth and social impact across the continent.
The change aligns with the launch of the 2026 programme, themed “IMPACT” and “An Ecosystem Template”. This edition will formally integrate the business of Film and Fashion alongside its core Music curriculum, operating as a real-world business simulation.
Godwin Tom, Founder Creative Talent Foundation says “This evolution to the Creative Business Academy for Africa is more than a name change; it’s a strategic response to the demands of the modern creative economy. Success today requires a horizontal understanding of how music, film, and fashion intersect. That is why our 2026 ‘IMPACT’ program is a full business simulation. We are creating a unique incubator where theory meets market reality, forging professionals who are not just knowledgeable, but are proven, results-driven ecosystem builders.”
As we embrace our new identity as the Creative Business Academy for Africa, our 2026 ‘IMPACT’ theme is the driving force. We are executing the entire programme as a real-world business simulation because Africa needs people who don’t just understand theory, but can achieve results. This immersive experience is designed to challenge participants to think horizontally across the creative economy and develop the competence required to translate potential into profit and tangible social impact”.
The 2026 CBA for Africa programme is an initiative of the Creative Talent Foundation (CTF) and will feature four core, integrated focus areas that include Music Business Programme, Film for Music Programme, Fashion in Music Programme and Talent Development Programme.
The entire academy will function as a simulated version of the real-world creative economy. Students will select roles from across this integrated ecosystem and receive high-level training from a global network of professionals within an incubator-like structure, designed to foster the development of viable, cross-sector creative companies.
This comprehensive approach remains firmly rooted in three core pillars: Learning, Practice, and Results.
Elizabeth Sobowale, Programme Director, Creative Business Academy for Africa says, This transition to CBA for Africa is about scale and substance. We’ve proven what’s possible within music, and now we’re expanding that success across other parts of the creative industry. The future of Africa’s creative economy belongs to those who can connect ideas, industries, and impact, and that’s exactly what we’re training our people to do.
Developed in collaboration with Prof. Carlos Chirinos of New York University’s Music Business Programme, the CBA for Africa curriculum continues to be a global programme with a distinctly African focus, supported by the Creative Industries Initiative For Africa (CIIFA).
