Kin Kariisa: The man building major blocks in Uganda’s creative infrastructure

More and more on Uganda’s quickly-evolving creative scene, one name keeps resurfacing - sometimes in praise, sometimes in debate, but almost always in proximity to progress: Kin Kariisa, the Group CEO of Next Media.

Most people know him for NBS, the flagship of Uganda’s largest media group. But beyond the headlines and broadcasts lies a different story… that of a man who has methodically built the scaffolding that now supports the country’s creative economy.

A Spark from the Studio: How It Started

In a recent episode of Sabrina Agasha’s “It’s Never That Serious”, legendary rapper Navio recalled how what began as a modest idea - The Navio X Project - evolved into something much bigger after an unexpected encounter with Kin Kariisa.

“The original concept was simple,” Navio said. “Ten episodes, ten tribes, ten songs — then we’d put it out.”

But midway through filming, Navio bumped into Kariisa.

“He asked what I was up to,” Navio recounted. “I told him I was with the Karamojong warriors [experiencing their culture, making music, filming it all]. He just said, ‘Come to my office on Monday.’”

That Monday, Navio walked into the Next Media Park expecting a chat and found a full team waiting. He made a brief presentation, and barely four minutes into the video, Kariisa stopped him.

“You have a spot on TV if you want it,” Kin told him. “Thursdays, 8 PM… all yours.”

That spontaneous conversation turned a cultural experiment into a nationally televised project, a leap only possible because someone in media leadership saw the creative value and moved fast.

It’s a pattern many in Uganda’s creative circles quietly recognize. Whether through the e-Concerts that kept musicians performing during lockdown, or the UgaTunes collaboration now monetizing Ugandan music online, Kariisa’s impact has been consistent, taking passion projects and building them into platforms.

From Broadcaster to Builder

Under his leadership, Next Media has steadily evolved from a broadcaster into a creative-infrastructure developer, investing in systems over and above the stories.

The Content Creator Hub, for instance, is a professional environment for young creators to learn production, business, and digital monetization. This is under the recently launched Next Creata brand, which is pushing the case for creators even further, bringing to the same table entities such as Uganda Development Bank (UDB), Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) - just three of the institutional players that the entertainment space need consistently present for its development.

At the launch, which had the Deputy Speaker of Parliament as Guest of Honour, it became clear that Uganda’s creative sector was no longer being treated as fringe culture and more a legitimate component of national economic strategy by the powers that be.

The Trust Bridge: Giving Investors Confidence in Creativity

For decades, Uganda’s creative industry has struggled with credibility. Corporate boardrooms loved the energy of artistes but distrusted the chaos that came with working in the space. That’s the gap Kariisa and Next Media quietly fill with these initiatives.

Through transparent structures, compliance, and consistent delivery, Next Media has become the trust bridge, the reason large institutions and brands now feel comfortable placing their budgets in the creative economy.

“Over the last couple of years, it had become that much harder to convince a financial institution to fund a concert or a digital campaign – only a few have continued to take that gamble,” notes a senior marketing executive who has partnered with Next Media. “But with these efforts by Kin and his Next Media people, their professionalism and governance culture, everyone - from government to the private sector – is yet again starting to see that this industry can deliver value.”

The Owner Who Gets It

Uganda’s media and entertainment industry has never lacked influential advocates, it is just that many of these have overtime operated through access, not ownership. Kin Kariisa represents a rare evolution: a media owner who champions creators, not just profiting from them.

“Having someone who both owns the platforms and believes in partnerships like these changes everything,” says a content creator producing within the Next Creata ecosystem. “He has opened new doors for us.”

It’s a leadership style that runs against the grain of traditional media ownership, which often revolves around control. In contrast, Kariisa’s approach; open, collaborative, and long-term, has helped unlock the next generation of creatives, influencers, and innovators who in turn envision Next Media as a launchpad.

Building Trust Where It’s Scarce

Earning that level of cross-sector trust has not been easy. Uganda’s creative ecosystem has long been haunted by unfulfilled promises and short-lived projects. Next Media’s discipline and reliability should be able to disrupt that pattern.

By treating the creative sector with the same rigor as banking or telecommunications, Kariisa has professionalized it in the eyes of serious players. And in doing so, he has allowed artistes to focus on what they do best - creating - while institutions can finally invest without fear of mismanagement.

A Vision Often Misunderstood

But with scale comes scrutiny. As Next Media’s influence grows, so too does speculation - about partnerships, affiliations, and motives. Kariisa, however, seems to have made peace with that.

“He’s comfortable being misunderstood,” says one long-time colleague. “He knows that when you’re changing an entire sector’s reputation, people will question your methods.”

And perhaps that’s what makes his role so vital. In a climate where ambition is often politicized, he remains focused on creating systems that outlast perception.

Protect the Builders

Every thriving industry owes its progress to a handful of people who build foundations others can stand on. Uganda’s creative economy is no different.

If the country is to sustain its current momentum, stakeholders - from policymakers to artistes - must learn to protect the ecosystem builders, not tear them down.

Kin Kariisa’s work with Next Media has shown that transformation doesn’t only come from talent; it also comes from trust, systems, and the courage to think differently.

As Uganda’s creative sector grows into a credible contributor to the national economy, we must safeguard the architects of the stage.

The Long Game

Uganda’s creative economy is maturing one partnership, one platform, one belief system at a time. And at its centre stands a leader who refuses to let scepticism outpace possibility.

Kin Kariisa may be best known for his media empire, but his real legacy could well be something far less visible and far more valuable - a creative infrastructure built on trust.