Josplay has announced the 2026 recipients of its Josplay Rise Fund. The company will provide $1,000 in structured development support to three emerging African artists selected through this year’s programme.

This year’s beneficiaries are Kiria (Kenya), who receives $500; Elprezido (Nigeria), awarded $300; and Donboydml (Nigeria), awarded $200. The annual initiative is positioned as an early-stage intervention programme aimed at addressing a persistent gap in the African music ecosystem: access to small but catalytic funding at critical career moments.

Rather than operating as a cash prize scheme, the Rise Fund applies targeted support toward defined needs such as recording, production, marketing and distribution. The objective is to remove practical barriers that often slow momentum for independent artists operating in emerging markets.

Blessing Tenumah, Head of Music Content & Partnerships (Africa) at Josplay and project lead for the initiative, said the programme reflects a long-term ecosystem strategy.

“At Josplay, we see music streaming as one component of a broader music economy,” she said. “The Rise Fund enables us to support artists at a stage where relatively modest capital can produce measurable professional progress.”

In addition to financial support, recipients benefit from editorial consideration and increased visibility on the Josplay platform, including a curated “Raw and Rising” playlist featuring the top 20 applicants for the funding.

Applications are assessed on artistic merit, demonstrated commitment and clarity of proposed use of funds. The selection process is overseen by a panel comprising Josplay executives and external industry professionals.

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The 2026 funding cycle opened in December 2025 and closed on 14 January 2026. It drew applications from emerging artists across multiple African territories. Following a structured review and scoring process, winners were formally announced on 20 February 2026.

As attention gradually shifts to the global valuation of African music content, initiatives such as the Rise Fund reflect a more deliberate structural commitment to independent talent development and long-term market expansion. In this context, early-stage intervention is a strategic investment in strengthening the foundations of Africa’s evolving digital music economy.