Afrobeats star D’Banj has stressed the need for greater investment in talent discovery and artist development following the announcement of a strategic partnership between his C.R.E.A.M platform and global independent music company CINQ Music.

The partnership seeks to provide emerging African musicians with access to international distribution, mentorship and career development opportunities.

Speaking on the collaboration, D’Banj said the initiative builds on C.R.E.A.M’s longstanding objective of supporting young creatives.

“C.R.E.A.M was founded to create opportunities for talented young people and connect African creatives to the audiences, resources and platforms they need to succeed,” he said.

Speaking about the partnership, the management of CINQ Music Group noted. “For us, this story is about far more than another industry announcement.”

The partnership will see the return of the Best of The Streets talent discovery programme in October, with 10 selected artists expected to benefit from global exposure through CINQ Music.

The collaboration comes amid growing calls within Africa’s music industry for stronger institutional support to sustain the continent’s expanding influence in global entertainment.