Nigerian music superstar Tiwa Savage has opened up about a painful experience early in her career — losing a major endorsement deal because she refused to travel to Dubai with a company executive.
Speaking during a panel session at the Entertainment Week Africa (EWA) event, Tiwa addressed the subtle and overt sexual demands women in the Nigerian music industry face.
According to her, the incident was a turning point.
She said she had been warned in the past that if she did not go and see a certain “chairman” personally, she would be removed from a show lineup.
But the Dubai incident hit differently.
“I lost an endorsement because I refused to go to Dubai with a man who is one of the owners of the company. That was when I realised they don’t value my talent but my body, which I was only flaunting as part of branding. It ended up hurting me because that is all they were seeing,” she said.
Tiwa Savage emphasised that female artistes face unique pressures — from sexual harassment to being undervalued — noting that many are forced to navigate challenges their male counterparts never experience.
Her revelation has sparked conversations about the deep-rooted exploitation and power imbalance affecting women in Nigeria’s music ecosystem.