The Ambassador of Sweden to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, paid an official visit to the Chocolate City Group office last weekend as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen creative, cultural, and digital partnerships between Sweden and Nigeria.
The ambassador, accompanied by her delegation including Fredrik Åhsberg, Jasmine Osueke, Johanna Beckman, and Georg Herlitz, was received by key stakeholders from Chocolate City Group, including Group Chief Executive Officer Abuchi Peter Ugwu; Executive Vice President of Chocolate City Music Aibee Abidoye, and team members Moyosore Olumode, Uwana Luke, Osagie Onobun, Blessing Fidelis, and Biola Tijani.
According to a statement, discussions centred on the evolving global music ecosystem, talent development, digital optimisation, and opportunities for deeper Nordic–African creative exchange.
The statement revealed that conversations explored the landscape of Nigeria’s music and entertainment ecosystem, with both parties recognising the significant potential for collaboration across digital platforms, live experiences, touring infrastructure, and creative development. “The discussion acknowledged Nigeria’s position as a global music powerhouse and Sweden’s established reputation as a hub for music innovation and hitmaking”.
Both parties aligned on the importance of democratizing music creation and education, exploring modern approaches to talent development that foster cross-cultural collaboration and global exchange. The statement further said that strong interest emerged around opportunities to connect African artists, producers, and songwriters with creative communities in Sweden, while also strengthening digital infrastructure and optimisation across platforms.
“The meeting highlighted the natural synergy between Nigerian and European markets, with particular emphasis on how strategic partnerships could unlock new opportunities for artists and creators on both sides. Live experiences, touring opportunities, and digital revenue optimisation were identified as key areas for potential collaboration”.
These initiatives will complement Chocolate City’s expanding ecosystem, which includes the launch of a dedicated creative hub in Jos and the Founders Fund later this year, both designed to support emerging talent and creative entrepreneurship across Nigeria, the statement said.
“Sweden has a long history of music innovation, and we see immense value in collaborating with Africa’s vibrant creative industries,” said Anna Westerholm. “Meetings like this reinforce the potential for knowledge exchange, sustainable partnerships, and shared growth that benefits creators on both sides.”
Commenting on the engagement, Aibee Abidoye said, “It is exciting to see the possibilities emerging from these discussions. Sweden has a well-established global reputation as a hub for pop music and hitmakers, and its interest in Chocolate City and African music more broadly holds strong potential to create impactful collaborations and contribute to the improvement of local creative infrastructure.”
The visit concluded with a mutual commitment to exploring collaborative opportunities that bridge the gap between Nordic and African creative industries, with focus on digital optimisation, touring synergies, and talent development initiatives that can unlock value across the music ecosystem.
