The NATIVE Networks
The NATIVE Networks is a Lagos-based African music and culture media company operating a digital publication (thenativemag.com), quarterly print magazine, annual Nativeland music festival, merchandise e-commerce store, and artist showcase programs targeting African Millennials and Gen Z.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- Headquarters—
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The NATIVE Networks does
The NATIVE Networks is a privately held African music and culture media company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, operating through the brand 'The NATIVE' across digital, print, live, and commerce formats. Its core product is NativeMag (thenativemag.com), a digital publication covering music, style, art, communities, fashion, film, tech, and politics for African Millennials and Gen Z, supplemented by a quarterly print Native Magazine distributed through regional stockists, the annual Nativeland music festival held at Muri Okunola Park in Lagos, the NativeShop e-commerce merchandise storefront, and curated artist showcase programs TRYBE and NATIVE 11/12.
The company's underlying technology is a digital media publishing platform anchored by its own website, active social media presence on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and SoundCloud, and a weekly email newsletter. Its business model is a multi-revenue mix typical of independent culture publishers: programmatic and direct advertising on the digital property, sponsored editorial, print magazine sales through stockists, ticket and sponsor revenue from the annual Nativeland festival, and direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through NativeShop. Pricing is not publicly disclosed for the publication, and there are no named B2B customers, sponsors, or enterprise contracts in the source material, indicating a long-tail advertiser and consumer-supported model rather than anchor-account revenue. The publication targets a single horizontal persona segment (young African audiences interested in culture) rather than enterprise buyers, and its editorial remit now extends from Nigeria into Ghana and South Africa.
The NATIVE Networks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The NATIVE Networks
- Legal name
- The NATIVE
- Website
- https://thenativemag.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The NATIVE Networks is a Lagos-based African music and culture media company operating a digital publication (thenativemag.com), quarterly print magazine, annual Nativeland music festival, merchandise e-commerce store, and artist showcase programs targeting African Millennials and Gen Z.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The NATIVE Networks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
The NATIVE Networks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The NATIVE is a cross-platform African music and culture media brand operating a digital publication (thenativemag.com), a quarterly themed print magazine, and an annual music festival (Nativeland). It monetises attention to African millennial and Gen Z audiences through editorial content (articles, interviews, reviews), event experiences, and branded merchandise sold via its own e-commerce storefront (NativeShop).
Product overview
The NATIVE is a cross-platform media brand consisting of NativeMag (digital publication at thenativemag.com), a quarterly Native Magazine print publication, the annual Nativeland music festival, the NativeShop e-commerce store, and curated artist programs including TRYBE and NATIVE 11/12. The brand bridges underground and mainstream African culture, covering music, style, art, communities, fashion, film, tech, and politics for African millennials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nativeland: Annual music festival bringing together the world of The NATIVE with diverse music lineups, inspiring talks, pop culture, style, and community events at Muri Okunola Park, Lagos.
- Native Magazine
Products and services
- NativeMag (thenativemag.com) Digital online publication (thenativemag.com) offering editorial coverage of African music, style, art, fashion, communities, film, tech and politics, with articles, interviews, reviews and news targeted at African millennials and Gen Z readers.
- Native Magazine (Print) Quarterly print magazine (4 issues per year), each built around a unique theme, covering music, style, art and communities through in-depth interviews, investigative storytelling and intimate visuals, distributed via thenativemag.com and physical stockists.
- Nativeland Annual music and culture festival held at Muri Okunola Park in Lagos, Nigeria, drawing thousands of young West Africans for a music lineup, thought-leader talks, and pop culture, food, style, sports and education experiences, operated under the Nativeland sub-brand.
- NativeShop (store.thenativemag.com) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront selling branded Native merchandise and themed collections (e.g. Nigerian Modernism), accessible via store.thenativemag.com and supplied through physical stockists.
Companies that use The NATIVE Networks
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The NATIVE Networks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The NATIVE Networks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The NATIVE Networks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TRACE: Pan-African music TV, streaming, and media platform with established broadcast footprint. Comparable as a larger, established African music media brand with broader distribution but less editorial depth in fashion and art.
- Complex: Large US music, style, and culture media brand with editorial and commerce. Comparable as a multi-vertical youth culture publisher, though with significantly larger scale and broader categories.
- Dazed: UK-based fashion and culture magazine with print and digital editions. Comparable as a culture publication combining editorial storytelling with style and youth culture coverage.
- The Fader: US-based music and culture magazine with print and digital editions. Comparable in editorial format (cover stories, artist discovery) but operates globally rather than African-focused.
- Boiler Room: Global music platform combining live DJ sets, documentaries, and editorial. Comparable as a music-culture brand with festival-style activations and editorial IP, though with global rather than regional focus.
Direct peers
- OkayAfrica: Pan-African media brand covering music, culture, and style for the African diaspora. Comparable in editorial focus on African music and cultural storytelling across digital and video.
- BellaNaija: Lagos-based lifestyle, culture, fashion, and entertainment media platform targeting Nigerian and African audiences. Closest comparable in terms of digital publishing focus, regional scope, and audience demographic.
- NotjustOk: Nigerian music news, interviews, and reviews platform. Directly comparable as a music-first digital publication serving the same West African audience and emerging artists.
- YNaija: Nigerian news, entertainment, and culture platform covering celebrity, lifestyle, and politics for young Nigerian audiences. Comparable in audience demographic and editorial scope.
Regional players
- Native (UK): UK-based men's fashion and culture magazine. Comparable as a similarly branded print and digital culture publication, though serving a different (UK) market and a male fashion-leaning audience.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The NATIVE Networks social profiles
Digital presenceThe NATIVE Networks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The NATIVE Networks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The NATIVE Networks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The NATIVE Networks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The NATIVE Networks
What does The NATIVE Networks do?
The NATIVE is a cross-platform African music and culture media brand operating a digital publication (thenativemag.com), a quarterly themed print magazine, and an annual music festival (Nativeland). It monetises attention to African millennial and Gen Z audiences through editorial content (articles, interviews, reviews), event experiences, and branded merchandise sold via its own e-commerce storefront (NativeShop).
Is The NATIVE Networks a public or private company?
The NATIVE Networks is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The NATIVE Networks founded?
The NATIVE Networks was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Who are The NATIVE Networks's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TRACE, Complex, Dazed, The Fader and Boiler Room. Direct peers are OkayAfrica, BellaNaija, NotjustOk and YNaija. Native (UK) is listed as a regional player.
Does The NATIVE Networks have an API?
No public API is recorded for The NATIVE Networks.