Deepfakes Threaten Afrobeats as AI Targets Nigerian Music Icons – Jumai Fabuyi Issues Urgent Warning

As Afrobeats continues to dominate global airwaves, concerns are mounting over the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies capable of replicating the unique sounds and voices of Nigerian artists. Jumai Adedoja Fabuyi, an entertainment lawyer, AI governance specialist, and co-founder of The Scar Radio, has raised the alarm about the potential dangers of music and voice deepfakes to the country’s booming creative industry.

In a detailed statement, Fabuyi explained that recent advancements in AI-generated music, have made it possible for virtually anyone to create music in specific genres using just text prompts. With Afrobeats enjoying a 283% surge in streaming between 2020 and 2023 according to Chartmetric, Fabuyi warns that Nigerian artists are now prime targets for imitation.

“We are entering an era where artists may wake up to find songs online that sound like them, sing like them, and profit off them — without their knowledge or consent,” she cautioned. “This isn’t science fiction. It’s already happening.”

The most unsettling threat, she notes, is voice cloning — a technology that uses AI to mimic an artist’s vocal style with increasing accuracy. Global stars like Drake, The Weeknd, and Eminem have already been targets of such technology, with AI-generated songs featuring their cloned voices going viral before legal teams intervened.

“Nigerian artists are becoming global icons. That visibility makes them vulnerable. Imagine a synthetic voice that sounds exactly like Burna Boy or Tiwa Savage being used in music or content that damages their reputation or undermines their artistic message,” Fabuyi added.

With music revenue in Nigeria projected by PwC to hit \$65 million by 2026 — much of it driven by Afrobeats — Fabuyi argues that these technological threats are not only a cultural issue, but a matter of economic urgency. She describes the trend as a digital-era echo of historical cultural appropriation, only now unfolding at “unprecedented speed and scale.”

She also highlighted growing risks beyond music: “We’re seeing AI-generated visuals and voices used without consent. Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks have already had to confront unauthorized synthetic versions of themselves. Nigerian stars with international endorsements face the same threat.”

While major players like Universal Music Group and YouTube have begun implementing protective policies against unauthorized AI music generation, Fabuyi says such steps currently only benefit artists backed by powerful institutions.

“In Nigeria, our laws have not caught up. The Copyright Act doesn’t account for AI-generated content or synthetic voice replication. That leaves a dangerous gap,” she explained.

Through The Scar Radio, Fabuyi has launched awareness campaigns to educate Nigerian creatives on intellectual property protection in the AI era. Her recommendations include contract clauses that prohibit the use of an artist’s voice for AI training, registering music catalogs with content ID systems, and exercising caution in what is shared online.

“This is about preserving creative sovereignty. Afrobeats didn’t rise by accident — it’s the product of decades of human expression, culture, and innovation. Technology should amplify these voices, not erase or exploit them,” she said.

Jumai Fabuyi’s call to action is clear: “We need a framework that allows for innovation while ensuring that the unique human creativity that made Afrobeats a global phenomenon remains valued and protected.”

As the genre continues to conquer global charts, the question facing Nigeria’s entertainment industry is no longer if AI will impact music — but how to ensure that the soul of Afrobeats isn’t lost in the process.