Ticketmaster targets Kenya’s burgeoning live entertainment
Global ticketing giant Ticketmaster is expanding into Kenya through ticketing platform Quicket, marking a major investment in the country’s growing live entertainment industry.
The expansion will provide Kenyan event organisers, artists and venues with access to Ticketmaster’s global ticketing and event-discovery infrastructure, while retaining payment and service features tailored to the local market.
Quicket will offer fully digital ticketing designed to reduce fraud, improve event security and speed up entry for fans. Ticket purchases will also be supported through local mobile-money platforms, including Safaricom’s M-Pesa and Airtel Money.
The platform will seek to connect fans with events through digital channels where they already discover music and entertainment. Its global distribution network includes Spotify, Google, Meta, Bandsintown and Apple Music, allowing organisers to promote events to wider audiences and potentially convert online discovery into ticket sales.
Quicket is also developing WhatsApp-based ticketing and artificial intelligence-powered tools aimed at simplifying event discovery and purchases.
The company is already working with Kenyan entertainment and experience brands, including Kilifi festival Beneath the Baobabs and food-discovery platform EatOut.
John Masembe, Quicket’s Business Operations Director, said Kenya’s live entertainment sector had significant growth potential.
“From packed music events and festival crowds to food, culture and social experiences, Kenya has a vibrant and growing live entertainment scene,” Masembe said.
He said the partnership with Ticketmaster would help provide infrastructure for organisers, artists and venues to expand their audiences and scale live experiences across the country.
Justin Van Wyk, Managing Director of Ticketmaster South Africa, said Kenya’s young, mobile-first population made it an attractive market.
“Kenya is an exciting live entertainment market, with a young, mobile-first audience and a growing community of organisers, artists, and venues creating experiences for fans across the country,” he said.
The expansion also formalises Quicket’s longstanding presence in East Africa. Since 2016, the company has worked with local partners, building nearly a decade of regional experience, relationships and field-service capabilities.
The companies said the partnership would support the continued professionalisation and expansion of Kenya’s live entertainment ecosystem.
