10 oldest record labels in Nigeria: A rich and thriving music industry has existed in Nigeria since the early 1900s. The Nigerian music scene has been significantly shaped by some of the nation’s oldest record labels.
Here are 10 10 oldest record labels in Nigeria:
| S/N | NAME | YEAR |
| 1. | Kalakuta Republic. | 1977 |
| 2. | EMI Nigeria | 1955 |
| 3. | Phonogram Records | 1964 |
| 4. | Decca West Africa | 1965 |
| 5. | CBS Nigeria | 1970 |
| 6. | Polygram Nigeria | 1977 |
| 7. | Afrodisia | 1972 |
| 8. | Kennis Music | 1990 |
| 9. | Hypertek Digital | 2006 |
| 10. | Mo’Hits Records | 2006 |
1. Kalakuta Republic.
The communal area that housed the Fela Kuti recording studio is known as the Kalakuta Republic. The term “kalakuta” is a parody of the Calcutta prison cell that Fela occupied. The majority of the songs by Fela were created by this record company, which is the oldest in Nigeria and has remained a staple of the country’s afrobeat and highlife music. This record label was formed by Fela himself after his time in the Calcutta prison.
2. EMI Nigeria
EMI Nigeria is a division of the British record company EMI. One of Nigeria’s oldest and most successful record labels, it was established in 1955. Some of the biggest names in Nigerian music, such as Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, and Wizkid, have had albums released by EMI Nigeria.
The Universal Music Group established the British record company Virgin EMI Records in 2013. The company changed its name to EMI Records in June 2020, and it now runs Virgin Records as an imprint of the new EMI Records. Mercury Records UK and Virgin Records merged to form Virgin EMI Records in March 2013. It ran Virgin and EMI Records, two separate A&R and marketing streams.
3. Phonogram Records
Phonogram Another subsidiary of a British record company, Phonogram, is located in Nigeria. It was established in 1964 and has made a variety of Nigerian musicians’ music available, from highlife to hip hop.
Phonogram Records Ltd. Nigeria was a Nigerian record label that also ran a vinyl pressing plant and 16-track recording studio in Lagos. It was founded in 1963 as a division of Philips (West African) Records Ltd., which had acquired Nigeria Records Ltd. and the pressing plant in Onitsha, which had been established in 1960 as a joint venture between Philips and C. T. Onyekwelu of Nigerphone.
4. Decca West Africa
One of the earliest record labels to release music by Nigerian performers on an international scale was Decca West Africa, which was established in 1965. It has made available music by musicians including Fela Kuti, Hugh Masekela, and Miriam Makeba.
The PolyGram organization purchased Decca in 1980. Afrodisia essentially devolved into a reissue label because the new owners had little interest in it.
The 10 albums mentioned below are some of Afrodisia’s most enduring recordings from the label’s belle epoque years of 1973 to 1978. One is by Ghana’s Basa Basa Soundz, and the other nine are by Nigerian artists or artists based in Nigeria, where Afrodisia concentrated its efforts. On vinyl, Five has been re-released.
5. CBS Nigeria
In Nigeria’s music industry in the 1970s and 1980s, CBS Nigeria, established in 1970, played a significant role. Some of the most prominent artists in Nigerian highlife, like Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey, had songs released through it. The Nigerian division of CBS Records was established in 1981 as a partnership between CBS Records International and two local businessmen, Chris O. Okunowo and Chief E.O. Okunowo. Before that time, Phonogram Ltd. Nigeria distributed CBS products. Sony Music Entertainment (Nigeria) Ltd. and Sony Music (Nigeria) Ltd. eventually took over the business in 1991.
6. Polygram Nigeria
One of Nigeria’s most prosperous record labels in the 1980s and 1990s was Polygram Nigeria, which was established in 1977. From Fela Kuti to Shina Peters, it released songs from a diverse variety of Nigerian artists.
PolyGram subsidiary is a Nigerian record label that was Founded in 1980 after changing its name to Phonogram Ltd. Nigeria. The studio Additionally ran Lagos’ Polygram Recording Studio Ikeja, a 16-track recording studio and vinyl manufacturing facility.
7. Afrodisia
Decca (West Africa) Limited established an African record label in Nigeria in 1972. When Decca was acquired by PolyGram in 1979, it sold Afrodisia the rights to the West African market. The Fonior Group bought the label in 1981.
Decca West Africa is indicated by the suffix “DWA” on releases from this label.
Nigerian proprietors, including Chief Moshood Abiola and band-leader-musician Ebenezer Obey, gradually took control of Decca (WA) Ltd. as a result of the indigenization decrees of 1972 and 1977. The Afrodisia label and the DWAPS series eventually took the role of the Decca label and the WAPS series beginning in 1976. Around 1983 saw the release of the WAPS series’ final album.
By 1981, the business was controlled entirely by Nigerians, and its name was changed to Afrodisia.
8. Kennis Music
The Afrobeats, R&B, pop, and hip-hop record label Kennis Music was established by Nigerian radio DJ Kenny Ogungbe in the late 1990s. “Africa’s No 1 Record Label” is the company’s motto. Kehinde “Keke” Ogungbe and Dayo “D1” Adeneye serve as the company’s current CEOs. The primary record cover artist for the Kennis Musi artists was Lemi Ghariokwu.
9. Hypertek Digital
Record company Hypertek Digital was established by recording artist 2Baba and is based in Nigeria. It was formerly known as Hypertek Entertainment and operated from 2006 to 2013. Currently, Sony Music Publishing, a division of Sony Music Group, handles distribution for the label. Currently signed artists on the label include RockSteady, Victor Uwaifo, and 2Baba. Dammy Krane was once one of the label’s signed artists.
10. Mo’Hits Records
D’banj and Don Jazzy controlled the Nigeria-based music record label Mo’Hits Records (also known as Mo’Hits). Mo’Hits Records Limited was established in 2006, according to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of Nigeria, and signed D’banj as its first recording artist. The label’s CEO/President was Don Jazzy, and D’banj was a co-owner.
D’banj had quit the group, Don Jazzy announced on his Twitter account in March 2012. Differences in interests were given as D’Banj’s reason for departing.
Don Jazzy then founded Mavin Records, a different record company.
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