The Expert Digest features expert commentary on Africa’s music industry, highlighting actionable stories.
The Recording Academy will posthumously honor Afrobeat creator Fela Anikulapo-Kuti with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award next year.
The award, which honors performers for outstanding artistic contributions to recording, was confirmed by the Academy on Tuesday (January 28). The Nigerian music pioneer, who died in 1997, will be recognized alongside six other 2026 Special Merit Award recipients including Gladys Knight, the New York Philharmonic, and Donna Summer.
The announcement arrives as the global music industry shows increased commercial and institutional focus on African music.
For rights holders and catalog managers, the award represents significant institutional validation. The recognition may impact valuation metrics for Fela’s intellectual property, including master recordings, publishing rights, and brand licensing opportunities.
Industry analysts note the award’s timing connects contemporary Afrobeats commercial success to its foundational source. Streaming data from Luminate shows Nigerian artists maintaining strong domestic streaming shares, with 62.2% of on-demand streams in Nigeria originating from local artists.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award selection follows increased institutional recognition of African music pioneers. Several major music organizations have recently expanded their historical programming and award categories to include more foundational African artists.
The recognition of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti represents one of the highest institutional honors for an African recording artist and coincides with unprecedented global commercial growth for music originating from the continent.
