Kalifah AgaNaga is pushing back against claims that his recently concluded Nassanga Festival was a disappointment, insisting the event was a financial success that generated at least Shs100 million in revenue.
The singer says critics judged the concert too quickly after photos circulated online before he had even taken to the stage. According to AgaNaga, those early images created the impression that attendance was poor, even though he says the venue later filled with fans as the evening progressed.
Rather than dwelling on the criticism, the artist has chosen to focus on what he describes as the numbers behind the event—figures he believes tell a very different story.
Speaking after the concert, AgaNaga explained that premium table bookings alone accounted for a significant share of the night’s earnings.
According to him, VIP tables were sold in three categories priced at Shs1 million, Shs3 million, and Shs5 million.
He said that selling 10 tables at Shs3 million, five tables at Shs1 million, and four tables at Shs5 million generated substantial income even before accounting for regular ticket sales.
“My tables were at Shs3 million, Shs5 million and Shs1 million. If I sell 10 tables at Shs3 million and five tables of Shs1 million and four tables of Shs5 million, how much is that? Then the ordinary of Shs10k, Shs20k and Shs30k and I got 2,000 people that brings the money up.”
In addition to the VIP section, AgaNaga said ordinary tickets were sold at Shs10,000, Shs20,000, and Shs30,000. He claimed that approximately 2,000 people attended the event, contributing further to the overall revenue.
Based on those figures, the singer maintains the festival comfortably surpassed the Shs100 million mark.
Beyond defending the concert’s financial performance, AgaNaga also addressed the wave of negative commentary that followed the event.
He claimed much of the criticism was driven by jealousy surrounding the renewed popularity of his hit song “Nassanga.”
According to the singer, the success of the track has attracted attention that some people are unwilling to acknowledge positively.
AgaNaga further argued that some concert promoters were unhappy because he chose to stage the event independently rather than partnering with them.
While he did not identify any individuals or organizations, he suggested that his decision to organize the concert on his own challenged the traditional promoter-led model that many artists rely on.
The Nassanga Festival marked an important milestone in AgaNaga’s career as it was organized without the backing of a concert promoter.
The singer has previously explained that one of his biggest goals was to gain firsthand experience managing the approvals and logistics involved in staging a large public event. He said the process helped him understand how to work with authorities such as the police, NEMA, KCCA, and other agencies involved in approving concerts.
Following the event, AgaNaga said the experience has given him confidence to pursue even bigger productions in the future, including concerts at larger venues.
AgaNaga’s comments reflect a wider conversation within Uganda’s music industry about artists taking greater ownership of their careers.
For years, many musicians have depended on promoters to finance and organize major concerts. AgaNaga believes artists with strong audience support and trending music can successfully promote their own events and earn directly from ticket sales and premium experiences.
Whether more artists adopt that approach remains to be seen, but his remarks add another perspective to the ongoing discussion about independence, revenue, and creative control in the entertainment business.
For AgaNaga, the conversation isn’t only about crowd size—it is also about proving that an artist can take control of both the stage and the business behind it.
Despite online criticism, he remains convinced the Nassanga Festival achieved its financial objectives. His confidence suggests that, rather than discouraging him, the experience has reinforced his belief that self-promoted concerts can be a viable path for artists willing to take the risk.
As debate over the festival continues, AgaNaga appears focused less on the criticism and more on what he sees as the long-term value of betting on himself.