Nikita Kering calls out unfair pay for Kenyan artists at AU forum
Award-winning musician Nikita Kering has taken the Kenyan artists’ fight for better pay to the African Union.
In a statement shared via her X account on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, she revealed that she represented Kenyan artists at the African Union Headquarters, where she spoke on the challenges artists face when it comes to royalties and intellectual property rights.
In her message, she said artists deserve fair compensation and better protection of their work.
Kering explained that the issue lies in part with Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) and digital platforms, which have been widely criticised for offering poor returns to the very creators who fuel the music industry. She shared the significance of the moment on social media, saying it was an honour to speak out on behalf of her peers.
“Today, I represent Kenyan artists at the African Union HQ to address the unfair pay from CMOs and digital platforms—and to push for AU support in protecting our intellectual property. It is an honour,” she wrote.
Long-standing concerns
Kenyan musicians have for years raised concerns about how royalties are handled in the country. Many feel that the organisations meant to protect their rights and earnings, such as the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), have failed them.
In August 2019, rappers Khaligraph Jones and King Kaka came forward to reveal they had received only Ksh2,500 from MCSK after years of producing hit music. Khaligraph’s frustration boiled over online, where he vowed never to let the organisation collect royalties on his behalf again.
The issue persisted in 2022 when artistes Wangechi and Nikita Kering herself disclosed receiving just Ksh1,215.95 from the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK), a paltry sum that many saw as an insult given their contributions to the industry.
In April 2023, Bien Aime of Sauti Sol added his voice to the conversation, sarcastically noting that they had received Ksh14,634 in royalties. He questioned how such a low payout was possible for an artist who consistently ranks among Kenya’s top-streamed performers.
By March 2024, frustration among creatives remained high. In a live discussion, musician Shizo shared that he had not received any royalties for his popular track “Rhoda.” Fellow artiste Nonini used the opportunity to call out CMOs for failing to distribute 70% of the collected royalties to artists as required by law.
These concerns were later echoed by the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) in a February 2024 report, which revealed glaring disparities in royalty distributions. The report showed that well-known artists like Rehema Lugose and Reuben Kigame had been shortchanged, receiving far less than what they were owed under the 70% rule.
