Award-winning musician and creative innovator Mr Eazi has drawn attention to the difficulties African artists face when touring their own continent.

Speaking at the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogue on Friday, February 6, Mr Eazi reflected on a decade-long career spanning both music and entrepreneurship.

“In the last ten years, I have spent six of those years as a singer touring the world and four of those years doing a lot of entrepreneurship. Two things stand out to me.”

He highlighted a striking contrast between international success and touring within Africa.

“In the first six years of my rise, particularly the first two years of me blowing up, it was easier to tour America and Europe than it was to tour Africa, even though I had some of the biggest songs,” he explained. “Once I had the number one song in Africa, touring here became even harder.”

Mr Eazi recounted a personal experience that underscored the bureaucratic obstacles African artists often encounter.

“I remember two occasions, one of me going into Kenya with my band. Even though I had been paid to perform, I was stopped at the border. My band, which included members of other nationalities, were allowed to enter, but I – the lead artist who was being paid the most – had to wait,” he said.

He continued: “I remember telling the immigration officials, ‘Well, I have been paid, so you want to send me back home? I am going to be on the next flight.’ But that incident speaks to the reality of the friction that is being put in place – friction that stops us from uniting, stops us from being stronger, and prevents us from developing.”

Mr Eazi shed light not only on logistical and bureaucratic barriers but also on the broader implications for Africa’s creative economy.

He noted that limiting the mobility of artists risks slowing cultural exchange, economic growth, and the global competitiveness of African talent.

The Africa Prosperity Dialogue, which convenes business leaders, policymakers, and cultural innovators, provided Mr Eazi with a platform to call for streamlined policies and greater support for African artists.

He stressed that removing unnecessary barriers could allow the continent’s creative talent to flourish while strengthening pan-African unity.