Ticketmaster Expands Into East Africa With Quicket Launch in Kenya and Uganda

Ticketmaster is expanding into East Africa with the launch of its Quicket ticketing platform in Kenya and Uganda.

The expansion is part of a long-term investment in the region’s live entertainment industry. Quicket will combine its existing local experience with Ticketmaster’s global reach to provide digital ticketing services for fans, artists, venues and event organisers.

The platform will offer fully digital tickets designed to help reduce fraud and make event entry faster. Fans in Kenya and Uganda will also be able to use local payment services, including M-Pesa, MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money, when purchasing tickets.

Quicket will focus on mobile-first ticket discovery and sales as the region’s entertainment industry continues to grow. Africa has a population of approximately 1.6 billion people and is home to one of the world’s youngest and fastest-growing populations.

The platform will distribute events through services including Spotify, Google, Meta, Bandsintown and Apple Music. The integrations are intended to help fans discover events while giving organisers additional opportunities to reach potential ticket buyers.

Quicket will also provide event organisers and sponsors with real-time audience insights. The company said the platform will combine those tools with global security standards and local compliance requirements.

The company is also developing additional ticketing features. Quicket plans to introduce WhatsApp-based ticketing, allowing fans to discover and purchase tickets through the messaging platform. AI-powered tools are also in development to help users find and buy tickets.

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John Masembe, Business Operation Director at Quicket, highlighted the growth of live entertainment in Nairobi and Kampala.

“Spend a weekend in Nairobi or Kampala and you can feel the energy immediately,” Masembe said. “Packed Afro-fusion and Afro-House nights, festival crowds singing every word back to local artists, and a new generation of creators building vibrant music and culture scenes across the region.”

“In East Africa, live entertainment is deeply woven into everyday life, and fans are showing a huge appetite for live experiences,” he added.

Masembe said Quicket and Ticketmaster will focus on providing infrastructure for the region’s expanding entertainment industry.

“Quicket and Ticketmaster’s role is to help build the infrastructure behind that momentum, making it easier for organisers, artists, and venues to grow, connect with audiences, and scale live experiences across the region,” he said.

Justin Van Wyk, Managing Director of Ticketmaster South Africa, said the company sees significant potential in the region.

“Africa has a huge, young and fast-growing population, which is helping make East Africa one of the most exciting live entertainment markets,” Van Wyk said. “Quicket has the local knowledge and relationships to serve it well.”

Van Wyk said Ticketmaster will support Quicket with its global resources and technology.

“Our role is to back that expertise with Ticketmaster’s global scale, giving Event Organisers, artists, and fans across Kenya and Uganda the same market-leading ticketing experience audiences expect anywhere in the world,” he said.

The launch comes as the live entertainment industry continues to expand across East Africa. Venues in Kenya and Uganda are being upgraded ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, while new festivals and other live events are emerging across the region.

The expansion also builds on Quicket’s existing work in East Africa. The company has operated with local partners in the region since 2016, developing local relationships and field-service capabilities.