By Esther Olaifa, JKNewsMedia Reporter
CLOUDY SKIES and the threat of heavy rainfall did little to dampen the enthusiasm at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as more than 5,000 students turned out for the Lagos stop of Soundcity On Tour 2026, a nationwide campus entertainment and talent discovery initiative powered by BIGI and Fearless Energy Drink.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the UNILAG event drew students into an atmosphere of music, performances, competitions and talent showcases, with established artistes including Qing Madi, Falz, Joeboy, Wande Coal and Mr P entertaining the crowd. More than 25 emerging artistes also took to the stage to showcase their talents.
The Lagos outing also formed part of the 20-campus tour, which is taking music, entertainment, competitions and interactive activities to students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria, according to the organisers.
For Rite Foods Limited, the company behind the BIGI and Fearless brands, the partnership with Soundcity On Tour represents a move beyond conventional brand sponsorship, with a focus on connecting with young Nigerians through music, creativity, talent development and experiences built around their interests and lifestyles.
Speaking during a media meeting at the event on Wednesday, BIGI Brand Manager, Biola Aransiola, said the initiative was designed to give young Nigerians an opportunity to showcase their abilities and pursue their ambitions in the entertainment industry.
“Bigi and Fearless have initiated a project called Soundcity On Tour to drive awareness within Nigerian institutions, reaching out to creatives from their classrooms and holding their hands to stardom,” she said.
According to Aransiola, the project reflects the company’s commitment to supporting, empowering and inspiring young Nigerians while contributing to talent development and the Nigerian economy.
“We believe that great talent deserves a platform. That is why we decided to partner with Soundcity On Tour, to make sure that we look for these talents where they are and not just wait for them to struggle,” she said.
Aransiola said the partnership differs from the brand’s traditional sponsorship activities because, beyond creating excitement and entertainment experiences, it provides a platform through which young people can develop and showcase their talents.
“For every other traditional sponsorship that we’ve had over the years, we created excitement and experience, but the trick here is that we are creating experience and we are giving a platform,” she said.
“So, aside from buying a bottle of drink, we are able to move from being a brand to a partner that is ready to hold your hands and take you to stardom.”
She added that BIGI was not only creating events but building a platform that gives young people the opportunity to grow, shine and demonstrate their abilities.
The three-day campus activities are structured around student engagement, music auditions and a major concert, she also explained.
On the first day, she said activities take place within participating schools, giving students opportunities to engage with the brands through music and entertainment.
The second day focuses on music auditions.
Participants are required to download an official music track and its instrumental version, record their performances and share them while tagging the brands and Soundcity On Tour.
Then, the tour’s talent scouts also review entries and identify contestants for the audition stage.
Selected contestants also performed before judges, with the process featuring industry professionals including ID Cabasa and Tolani, according to the organisers.
Thereafter, successful contestants advance through the competition, with winners from the various schools progressing to regional contests and eventually to the grand finale in Abuja.
The third day features the main concert, where established artistes and emerging talents perform for students.
The competition also gives contestants opportunities to win cash prizes. During the campus stage, the top three contestants can share N1 million, with the winner receiving N500,000, while the other finalists receive N350,000 and N150,000 respectively.
The BIGI Music Competition at the UNILAG event offered prizes worth more than N5 million, including scholarships, according to the organisers.
Regional winners will later compete at the grand finale in Abuja, where an overall winner will emerge.
The organisers said the eventual winner will receive further support aimed at helping to develop their music career.
The support includes the production of two songs, a music video for one of the songs and media promotion across Soundcity platforms, Urban FM, E FM and Soundcity TV.
The winner will also receive additional visual and social media content to support the release of their music.
Aransiola said the initiative would also provide guidance for young people who intend to pursue careers in music and entertainment.
“It is not just about having activities within the schools. We will be having a session where they are spoken to on what is expected of them if they want to take music as a career,” she said.
The sessions are intended to provide participants with direction as they move from the classroom into the entertainment industry and prepare to manage opportunities that may come with success.
However, Aransiola clarified that winning the competition does not automatically guarantee an ambassadorial role with the brand.
“As part of this entire process, there is no specific agreed sealed understanding that once you win, you become an ambassador,” she said, adding that such an opportunity could be considered if the brand found it appropriate at a later stage.
Fearless Energy Drink also plays a major role in the tour through its dance competition, which takes place during the final day of activities.
Fearless Brand Manager, Ruth Mark, said the brand’s involvement centres on high-energy experiences and spontaneous participation.
According to her, contestants do not necessarily need to register before taking part, as the event host calls on students who believe they can dance to come on stage and demonstrate their abilities.
Participants showcase their moves before the crowd, which helps determine the winners. The winner receives N400,000, while other prize winners also receive cash rewards, including N200,000.
Mark said the competition reflects the energy and excitement associated with the entertainment industry and gives students another opportunity to express themselves.
She encouraged students interested in the entertainment industry to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the platform while continuing their studies.
The UNILAG stop came after earlier campus visits and was followed by performances and talent showcases at the University of Ibadan, where Niniola, Qing Madi, Kunmie, Kodie and Priesst performed alongside emerging campus talents.
Soundcity On Tour has expanded since its debut in 2023, growing from 10 institutions to 20 tertiary institutions in 2026.
The tour has visited campuses including Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Yaba College of Technology (YabaTech), the UNILAG, University of Uyo (UoU), University of Calabar (UNICal), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) as well as the UI.
The organisers said the tour was continuing with further stops, including the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPort), before moving to Bayelsa and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).
After a break, the final set is expected to include the Federal University of Agriculture (FUA), Abeokuta, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTech), the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and the University of Abuja (UNIAbuja), where the grand finale will take place.
Speaking on the project, Adedeji Adeniji, Executive Producer of Soundcity On Tour and Chief Operating Officer of Group8 Limited, said the initiative was designed to uncover and celebrate the creativity that exists across Nigerian campuses.
As the tour moves across the country, BIGI and Fearless say the objective remains to find young creatives within their campuses, provide opportunities for them to perform and compete, and support selected talents as they take steps towards building careers in the entertainment industry.
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