Chinese-Backed Boomplay Nigeria Targets French-Speaking Nations

(Bloomberg) -- Boomplay Nigeria, a Chinese-backed music-streaming startup, is targeting French-speaking nations four years after it first launched in West Africa.

“We have started to look at the Francophone regions such as Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire, as well as the areas where there is a large diaspora community such as North America and Europe,” General Manager Dele Kadiri said in Lagos.

The company, owned by Transsnet Music Ltd. and backed by Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Co., has seen growth accelerate since raising $20 million from investors to expand in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania. It now has more than 53 million users, up from 42 million in April, and is adding 2 million a month to make it Africa’s largest music-streaming platform, Kadiri said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ruth Olurounbi in Abuja at rolurounbi4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Amanda Jordan at ajordan11@bloomberg.net, Thomas Mulier

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