Entertainment
Spotify Celebrates First Year In Nigeria
As Nigerians have become more familiar with Spotify, they’ve used the platform more – and broadened their tastes.
It’s been one year since music streaming giant, Spotify launched in 40+ new markets across the continent, including Nigeria. 365 days in, we’re already seeing Nigerian music lovers discovering more music, local artists finding a megaphone for their work, and Nigerian genres getting exported across the globe.
As Nigerians have become more familiar with Spotify, they’ve used the platform more – and broadened their tastes. Since launch, the average number of artists streamed per user has grown by 60%, and Nigerian music fans have created 1.3 million user-generated playlists.
Below is a breakdown of how Nigerians have listened for the past year:
Nigerian artists dominated the local music scene, with artists such as WizKid, Burna Boy, DaVido, Buju (now known as BNXN) and Olamide topping the list of five most streamed local artists.
Some local artists have found a megaphone for their work, and the top exported local artists are Ckay, followed by WizKid, then Burna Boy. Tems is the fourth top exported local artist and Mr Eazi rounds off the top five.
Coming in as the most streamed song in Nigeria is Fireboy DML’s Peru, followed by Monalisa by Lojay and Sarz, then Feeling by Buju and LADIPOE in third. Omah Lay’s Understand was the fourth most streamed track, with High by Adekunle Gold closing off the top five local songs.
Of the 10 exported songs, nine are collaborations with local and international hitmakers – proof that Nigerian music is attracting worldwide popularity. Love Nwantiti by CKay is the top exported song, followed by Essence, a collaboration between WizKid and Tems. Next is a remix of Love Nwantiti and Essence by CKay and WizKid with international artists such as Justin Bieber, DJ Yo, and Axel. Most of the plays of the exported songs have come from countries such as the Czech Republic, India, Canada, Ghana, Morocco, Tanzania, and the UK.
Since launch, there have been 20,935 songs added to the Spotify platform by creators. This places Nigeria as the country with the second most streams after Pakistan, with Kenya third in the ranking.
On user generated playlists, the Spotify playlist that Nigerians showed the most love is Hot Hits Naija, which really portrays the fact that Nigerians love homegrown music.
Lagos, the entertainment capital of Nigeria is still living up to its title as the top city where Nigerians streamed from. Other cities are Kano, FCT, Niger, and Rivers.
Goya Menor claimed the top spot on the list of emerging artists, while the most popular local genre is Afropop from Nigeria.
Worldwide, Nigerian music is growing in popularity, too. Data on local genres being exported across the globe reveals that 30% of the Nigerian Alte genre is being streamed in the US, with a growth of more than 200% over the past year. Additionally, over 40% of Afropop from Nigeria is streamed in the US, UK and France.
The full breakdown of the top lists is below.
Most streamed Nigerian artists
Most streamed Nigerian artists
1. WizKid
2. Burna Boy
3. DaVido
4. Buju
5. Olamide
6. Fireboy DML
7. Joeboy
8. Tems
9. Rema
10. Omah Lay
Most streamed Nigerian songs
1. Peru – Fireboy DML
2. Monalisa – Lojay, Sarz
3. Feeling – Buju, LADIPOE
4. Understand – Omah Lay
5. High – Adekunle Gold
6. Bounce – Ruger
7. Bloody Samaritan – Ayra Starr
8. Outside – Buju
9. Sip – Joeboy
10. Holy Father – Mayorkun, Victony
Top exported Nigerian artists
1. Ckay
2. WizKid
3. Burna Boy
4. Tems
5. Mr. Eazy
6. DaVido
7. Rema
8. Joeboy
9. Fireboy DML
10. Omah Lay
Top exported Nigerian songs
1. Love Nwantiti – CKay
2. Essence – WizKid, Tems
3. Love Nwantiti – CKay, DJ Yo!, AX’EL
4. Essence – Justin Bieber, Tems, WizKid
5. Love Nwantiti – CKay, Joeboy, Kuami Eugene
6. Love Nwantiti – Ckay, ElGrandeToto
7. Location – Burna Boy, Dave
8. Nobody – DJ Neptune, Joeboy, Mr. Eazi
9. Loved By You – Burna Boy, Justin Bieber
10. Falling For You – Blaq Jerzee, Harmonize, Mr. Eazi
Emerging / breakout artists
1. Goya Menor
2. Mizzle
3. Lojay
4. Psycho YP
5. SGaWD
6. Jaywillz
7. Ria Sean
8. Victony
9. Dai Verse
10. Soundz
Top locally curated Spotify playlists
1. Hot Hits Naija
2. African Heat
3. Gbedu
4. Traffic Jams Naija
5. Today’s Top Hits
6. Afropop
7. Party Dey!
8. Bubblin
9. New Music Friday Naija
10. Afro Party Anthem
The Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant to arrest blogger Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), for “criminal defamation” of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo’s reputation.
The magistrate directed the Nigeria Police Force, along with other law enforcement authorities, to arrest VeryDarkMan and bring him to court to answer the charges leveled against him.
Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna issued the bench warrant on Thursday, March 13, 2025, after VeryDarkMan failed to appear before the magistrate despite a court summons issued on March 5, 2025.
Though VeryDarkMan’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, requested that the magistrate reconsider the bench warrant and that he physically produce his client in court, Magistrate Iyanna denied the request and insisted that VeryDarkMan be produced in court by security agents.
When contacted, Adeyanju told Channels Television that a bench warrant was issued against his client.
“Yes, a bench warrant has been issued against him for failure to show up in court.
“They are just interested in media trial over the matter. They are not interested in prosecuting the matter,” Adeyanju said.
The bench warrant stemmed from alleged defamatory statements made by VDM on social media, accusing Chinwo of involvement in a contractual dispute and the purported diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
In support of her claims, Chinwo furnished the court with documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to substantiate that VDM’s allegations were not only entirely false but damning and injurious to her public image and reputation.
The complainant’s lawyers led by Pelumi Olajengbesi of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, Chinwo said the alleged actions of the defendant are contrary to Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.
American rapper and YouTuber Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., widely known as DDG, has fired his cameraman for flirting with his date.
In a video of his recent livestream that has gone viral, the rapper can be seen on a date with model Tiana at a restaurant, but his cameraman, Johnny, keeps interrupting them by flirting with the model.
His actions enraged the rapper, who then texted him, notifying him that he had been fired.
“Check your phone, Johnny,” he told the cameraman after sending the text.
The cameraman displayed the message he received from his boss on the screen. The message reads, “You fired after stream.”
DDG has been going on dates with multiple different women since his breakup with his baby mama Halle Bailey.
Omowunmi Aloba, the widow of singer Mohbad, has revealed why she can’t forgive the nurse who injected her late husband.
She made the revelation in her latest interview with Arise Television.
Expressing her grievance, she noted that the nurse has been out there clubbing and enjoying her life while “I have been held hostage. I can’t move freely, and my son has not even experienced the joy of childhood. And the same nurse, who will decide to get married someday, could leave me in the hands of war to devour me.
“One thing is, I can’t even forgive that nurse because she made me a widow at 24 years old. And you know, she has been acting so nonchalant, living her life as if nothing has happened.
“I really don’t know if the injection she gave my husband was a mistake, but if I see the nurse face to face, the only thing I will tell her is that she will experience everything she has done to me,” she added.
Omowunmi further clarified that the nurse was introduced to them by Mohbad’s friend, Spending, because her husband’s personal nurse was not available.
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