Lagos: The AkinyemiLaw Songwriting Contest (ALSC) has returned for its seventh edition, reaffirming its mission to spotlight creativity, collaboration, and emerging talent across Africa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, since its launch during the COVID lockdown, the contest has grown from a 50,000 prize initiative into a continental platform awarding 5,000 dollars. ALSC founder, entertainment lawyer Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, told NAN that the contest was inspired by a need to shine the light on songwriting as an important art form and a vehicle for wealth creation.
Ayinoluwa emphasized that many African creatives are unaware of the value of their creativity, and the platform aims to demonstrate that songwriting is a significant business. He noted that several top Nigerian artistes struggle today because they have not been able to record and perform the right songs that maintain their superstar status.
The contest underscores collaboration by requiring all participants to enter as tag-teams comprising a record producer and a singer-songwriter. Ayinoluwa stated, “We want upcoming artistes, producers, and songwriters to understand that you have to collaborate to win.”
The seventh edition is receiving entries from Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa, marking the contest’s widest reach yet. Ayinoluwa revealed plans to extend participation to C´te d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Mali within two years. ALSC is also introducing new initiatives, such as writing and recording trips across the four participating countries to enable talents to mingle and collaborate to create records that reflect African storytelling.
The contest will partner with companies supporting creatives across the continent, and both online and physical workshops will be held to teach the value of collaboration and songwriting. The organizers hope to release a compilation of the top 10 entries in 2026. Participation offers life-changing opportunities, including industry recognition and mentorship.
Ayinoluwa cited past success stories like songwriter Zichy, the winner of the 2023 edition, who has since written for Wizkid, and Ayo Maff, a former contestant who secured a record deal after participating in the 2023 edition. Ayinoluwa emphasized that ALSC remains unique for championing songwriters and producers as a duo, as nothing like this exists on the continent.
He highlighted that emerging talents often grow faster when collaborating at the same level, with examples like ID Cabasa and 9ice, Don Jazzy and D’banj, as well as Magicsticks and Asake. ALSC aims to build songwriting and creative hubs across major African cities to facilitate routine collaboration trips.
The contest has evolved from Nigeria-only participation to a four-country network with strong local partners, reflecting its growing influence and reach across the continent.