Angela Ndambuki, the Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa for the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), has bagged the Pacesetters Awards in Kampala, Uganda in the Enabling Business Growth Technologically category.

Pacesetters Award organizers recognised her role in improving management of music by rights holders including record producers and self-released artists through the official introduction of the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) in the region.

The annual awards recognise key industry leaders for their innovation, quality products, exemplary leadership and transforming the society.

Angela was feted for her current role that has seen exponential growth in Africa’s recording industry through the ISRC, a standard code used to identify sound recordings and music video recordings.

This comes when digital music consumption is on the rise following the global lockdowns occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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“The fact that the awards have recognized the efforts and contributions we’ve made in the recording industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, is indeed a monumental step in the right direction in terms of appreciating that music is business,” said Angela Ndambuki in her acceptance speech.

The Pacesetter award also comes when the African music industry is experiencing worldwide recognition with new genres like Afrobeat and Amapiano currently dominating the global music chats.


Since the ISRC administration was founded, IFPI has started allocating ISRC prefix codes to record producers across the region and also spearheading partnerships with governments and rights holders.

Collective Management Organizations (CMOs) are now also able to manage their databases of registered works efficiently and enhance accuracy of monitoring and distributing royalties.


“We believe that the establishment of ISRC administration in the region is an opportunity for the region’s recorded music industry to have a sustainable data management model, improve its mapping of the industry, and consequently register greater value,” Angela added.

This comes only a day after Angela Ndambuki was elected as the Director of the Kenya Association of Music Producers (KAMP).

She is also the Chairperson of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI) Intellectual Property Committee and the former CEO of KNCCI and the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK).