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International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Angela Ndambuki has scooped the Pacesetters Awards in Kampala in the category of Enabling Business Growth Technologically.
The annual awards which celebrate key industry leaders for their innovation, quality products, exemplary leadership and transforming the society recognized her current role that has seen exponential growth in the continent’s recording industry including East Africa. The organizers took note of her role in enhancing the management of music by rights holders including record producers and self-released artists through the official introduction of the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) in the region. The ISRC is a standard code used to identify sound recordings and music video recordings. This was particularly timely coming at a time when digital music consumption is on the rise after global lockdowns as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The fact that the awards have recognized the efforts and contributions we’ve made in the recording industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, is indeed a monumental step in the right direction in terms of appreciating that music is business,” Angela Ndambuki remarked in her acceptance speech
The award also comes at a time the African music industry is on the rise and has started impacting the global music industry with new genres, especially Afrobeats and Amapiano. Since the establishment of the ISRC administration, IFPI has started allocating ISRC prefix codes to record producers across the region as well as spearheaded partnerships with governments and rights holders. Other benefactors include collective management organizations (CMOs) who can now manage their databases of registered works efficiently and enhance the accuracy of monitoring and distribution of royalties.
“We believe that the establishment of ISRC administration in the region is an opportunity for the region’s recorded music industry to have a sustainable data management model, improve its mapping of the industry, and consequently register greater value,” she added.
Angela Ndambuki is also the Chairperson of the Intellectual Property Committee at Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI) and a Director at the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP). She is also the former CEO of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK).