Spotify x Giants Of Africa: How Nigerian Youth Basketball Team Uses Music For Inspiration

The popular streaming platform, Spotify, has partnered with Giants of Africa for its 20-year anniversary to bring together music and sports, as a way to inspire the next generation of African youth. 

Giants of Africa is a not-for-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of African youth through sports, and for the anniversary this year, they are bringing together youth from 16 different countries, including Nigeria for the inaugural Giants of Africa festival between 13 – 19 August 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Giants of Africa started 20 years ago in Nigeria, where the first basketball camp was created. We are following the Nigerian Youth basketball team to tell the story of basketball, music, and dance through their voices and their eyes.

Music and sports have always been playmates, and the Nigerian Youth basketball team is using this to propel them to greater heights. Taking inspiration on and off the court, Segun Nanakumo, a member of Team Nigeria is inspired by Patoranking, who moved “from a rat-gum seller to a big artist”. 

Since 2003, Giants of Africa has positively impacted over 40,000 African youth across 17 countries, providing access to basketball courts, camps and clinics. 

The closing ceremony at the festival presented by Spotify, will be a star-studded affair with performances from Davido, Tiwa Savage, RADAR Africa artist; Tyla and Bruce Melodie. African music is taking over the world by storm and Its YoY growth in international markets rivals that of KPOP. Last year alone, Afrobeats was streamed more than 13 billion times on Spotify. By joining forces with Giants of Africa, Spotify and Giants of Africa will bring together the best of African youth, basketball, music, culture, and entertainment on the continent and beyond to showcase a shared vision for Africa’s future. 

Watch the full video, titled, ‘Music in Motion’, where the Nigerian Youth basketball team shares how music impacts them. Check out the official Giants of Africa playlist, featuring a selection of African hits from 16 countries.