MTN Nigeria is set to reignite the aspirations of young creatives with the launch of the 2025 edition of its Best of the Streets talent competition. Designed to discover and nurture Nigeria’s next generation of stars, the initiative offers unsigned artists a transformative platform, with prizes including a substantial cash award, a professional music video production, and an EP recording deal. The competition officially kicked off on May 1, 2025.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, April 23, A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer of MTN Nigeria, highlighted the project’s significance. “The idea behind Best of the Streets is that there’s talent on every street corner in Nigeria — whether in acting, singing, dancing, comedy, or other performance arts.
“We want to unearth that talent and show young Nigerians that opportunities are everywhere. At MTN, we are proud to be a part of creating those opportunities,” she said.
The initiative is launched in partnership with C.R.E.A.M (Creative Reality Entertainment Art and Music), the talent platform founded by Nigerian superstar Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo, which focuses on talent management, publishing, and funding support for grassroots artists.
D’Banj explained, “The C.R.E.A.M platform offers solutions for talents, creatives, and entrepreneurs by providing them with the means to showcase their skills and monetise their content. With our newly launched distribution arm, we are not only discovering talents — we are equipping them to go global.”
Chris Anokute, the Nigerian-born, LA-based American music executive known for launching the career of Katy Perry, also praised the project. “Best of the Streets is the most impressive artist discovery platform I have seen emerge from Africa.
The global music industry is now worth around 30 billion dollars, and Afrobeats is the fastest-growing genre in the world, with over 1.1 million hours of music streamed from Nigeria on Spotify this year alone,” he noted.
Speaking on the importance of empowering youth creativity, Mobolaji Ogunlende, Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, stated: “As a government, we are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in Lagos, regardless of background.
With about 30 million people and a youth population of 60%, not every young person may pursue formal education — but many are thriving in creative fields, digital arts, fashion, and more. This platform offers them a valuable opportunity.”
To enter for the competition, aspiring creatives can dial *463# on their MTN line, upload original content via the official @creamplatform, and rally votes from the public. This year’s edition plans to showcase and reward over 2,584 creatives.
Entries will remain open until December, with daily, weekly, and monthly winners culminating in the announcement of a grand prize winner.
The Best of the Streets initiative underscores MTN’s commitment to youth empowerment and innovation, aligning with Nigeria’s rapidly expanding entertainment industry.
