By Aderinola Omotosho
Kobalt has entered a new partnership with Inner Circle Publishing, a fast-growing music company based in Nigeria. The deal marks another step in Kobalt’s push into Africa’s expanding music market and highlights how much attention global players are giving to the writers and producers behind today’s Afrobeats sound.
Inner Circle Publishing was founded earlier this year by Caleb Oyolola and Promise Dennis. Even though the company is still young, they’ve already built a roster that’s making real noise. Producer Choke Boi is one of their early signings, and he’s behind Joy Is Coming, the Fido track that became one of the fastest songs to reach 50 million streams in Nigeria this year. The record stayed at No. 1 on multiple DSP charts, turning Choke Boi into one of the names to watch among emerging Afrobeats producers.
Serotonin, who has been enjoying an impressive run this year, continues to grow beyond the local scene. His Faceless-assisted single Venus has crossed 100 million global streams, and Inner Circle Publishing oversees his publishing and PR. Inner Circle also recently locked in a long-term deal with Dxtiny, whose 2025 singles Uncle Pele and Babcock have been getting steady traction and boosting his profile among rising Afrobeats acts.
Kobalt’s creative leadership described the partnership as part of their long-term strategy to support independent creators in regions where music consumption is rising quickly. The company sees Nigeria as a major cultural force and one of the most influential music hubs in the world. Working with Inner Circle gives them access to newer voices who are already shaping the sound, while also giving those writers and producers global visibility and administrative support.
Inner Circle, on their own end, has been involved in talent development for a while. They previously managed Fido and helped introduce him through Awolowo, released via Heatwave Records. Their label arm, Inner Circle Records, has also had its share of success. Through a partnership with The Orchard, they broke Mavo’s Escaladizzy, which later got a remix featuring Shallipopi, Ayra Starr, and Zlatan — a combination that pushed the song even further into the mainstream.
Speaking about the Kobalt deal, Oyolola said both teams share the same ambition for the future of publishing in Africa. He also acknowledged those who helped make the partnership happen, especially their lawyer Wale Kalejaiye and executive Tyler Brown, who was heavily involved in the process and will continue advising on the creative and business side.
For Kobalt, the move adds another foothold in a region they’ve been watching closely as Afrobeats continues to spread. For Inner Circle, it brings global infrastructure, publishing expertise, and a wider network — tools that can help their writers reach audiences far beyond home.
