CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Ahmadu Bello University, ABU Zaria, is set to host the 15th stop of the Soundcity OnTour campus concert series as the nationwide search for Nigeria’s next music stars moves to Kaduna State.
Scheduled to run from August 18 to 20, the three-day activation is powered by BIGI and Fearless Energy Drink, both brands of Rite Foods Limited. The tour, which began in June and will run through October, is billed to visit 20 universities across Nigeria.
Beyond providing students with a free, high-production concert experience, the organisers say the tour is creating a structured pathway for young artistes to transition from campus performances to the national music scene.
The centerpiece of the Zaria edition is BIGI Music, a talent discovery platform embedded in the tour. According to the schedule released by the organisers, Day One will feature campus activations, games, and build-up events designed to engage students and spotlight campus talent.
Day Two will be dedicated to live auditions. Student artistes will perform before judges and a campus audience. From the auditions, the Top Five will secure performance slots at the main concert on Day Three. One act will emerge as the ABU campus winner and will receive a ₦1 million cash prize.
But the competition will not end in Zaria. Campus winners from across the 20 schools will advance to regional battles. At that stage, a combination of judges’ scores and social media engagement will determine the acts that qualify for the national finale.
Two artistes will eventually emerge as national winners. Their prizes include full studio production, A&R mentorship under music executive Bankulli, guaranteed rotation on Soundcity Radio, and professionally produced music videos. This means a student who wins at ABU could potentially go on to release nationally distributed music within months.
Day Three will close with the full Soundcity OnTour concert. The lineup for ABU includes Falz, Magnito, Firstklaz, Hypeman Best, and DJ Dewik. Organisers expect thousands of students to attend the free concert, which will also feature brand activations, dance competitions, and giveaways.
Speaking on the initiative, representatives of Rite Foods Limited said the partnership with Soundcity is aimed at meeting young Nigerians in spaces where music, creativity and campus culture intersect.
“For us, this is about more than entertainment. It is about discovery. We want to give students a real platform, not just a performance, but a chance to build a career,” the company stated.
With Zaria being a major academic hub in Northern Nigeria, ABU is expected to produce strong contenders for the regional and national stages.
From ABU, the tour will proceed to the remaining campuses before its grand finale in Abuja in October.
For many students, the biggest headline at ABU may not be the established artistes on the bill. It may be a fellow student whose first national opportunity begins with a microphone, a BIGI Music audition, and a ₦1 million prize within reach.