Inside the Studio Where G-Plus Chang Is Remixing Inclusion in Plateau State’s Music Scene

By Nuel Umahi 

In a quiet studio in the heart of Jos, a small group huddled around laptops and mixing consoles. The mood was electric but focused, like a live session before a major drop. At the centre of it all stood Abraham Chang, also known as G-Plus Chang, a name familiar to many in Nigeria’s music circles, now taking on a new role: teacher.

The acclaimed sound engineer and producer hosted Mix-It-Right, a capacity-building workshop to equip upcoming producers and audio engineers in Jos, Plateau State, Central Nigeria, with technical skills and the often-ignored business acumen essential for survival in the music industry. But beyond teaching EQ and compression techniques, this event offered something less talked about but equally vital: a pathway to inclusion.

Despite Nigeria’s thriving music industry, technical roles like sound engineering and music production remain grossly underrepresented in terms of gender and geographical diversity. Most opportunities cluster around Lagos, leaving cities like Jos—ironically, the birthplace of many notable Nigerian artists—on the outskirts of technical growth.

Additionally, music workshops often attract predominantly male participants. Women, especially in Northern Nigeria, face societal limitations and lack access to such creative spaces.

G-Plus Chang knows this gap intimately. Born and raised in Jos himself, he understands the dual burden of geography and underrepresentation. 

“For years, the only way up was out. But what if we started planting seeds right here?” he said during a short break in the session.

The Mix-It-Right workshop was intentionally designed; only 20 slots were opened to ensure deep, focused mentorship. Although 12 participants showed up, the commitment to quality remained. Notably, 3 of them were women.

While that might seem small, it is a significant statistic in an environment where female producers are almost invisible. The workshop didn’t just allow women to come, it encouraged them.

“This isn’t charity; it’s strategy,” G-Plus Chang said. “If we want better sound, richer music, and a more vibrant industry, we need more diverse voices, literally behind the boards.”

One of the female participants, Avena, a radio presenter with Jayfm Jos and an aspiring mix engineer, admitted she was hesitant to attend. “I thought I’d be the only girl and maybe not be taken seriously,” she said. “But instead, I was asked questions, given hands-on sessions, and corrected with patience. That’s rare.”

This emphasis on inclusion wasn’t just a token gesture. G-Plus Chang framed it as a form of corporate social responsibility (CSR), but not the performative kind often seen with branded giveaways and photo ops.

“The creative industry needs to start seeing CSR beyond donations and think about knowledge as capital,” he explained. “If we’re not making room for women and underrepresented creatives to learn, we’re shrinking our future.”

In addition to the technical sessions, participants learned about intellectual property rights, how to price their services, navigate contracts, and manage client relationships—real-world knowledge often omitted from even the best YouTube tutorials.

Chang is also exploring ways to create a mentorship circle from the attendees, connecting them with larger studios and networks in the industry. It’s not just about a one-day workshop, he says, but about creating a community that will grow together.

“We can’t keep exporting talent without first developing it locally,” he said.

Mix-It-Right may have started in a small room. Still, it’s pointing toward a bigger shift—one that values skills, recognises the economic potential of inclusion, and acknowledges Jos as a creative city that deserves investment and infrastructure.

By reframing inclusivity as a solution, not just a sentiment, G-Plus Chang is showing how the road to a better music industry might begin in smaller, focused gatherings like this, where each beat, each decision, and each hand raised is moving toward a more equitable and sustainable soundscape.

Because sometimes, the real remix isn’t on the track—it’s in the room where the music gets made.