Spotify has unveiled details in its latest Loud & Clear report indicating that Nigerian musicians amassed over ₦60 billion in royalties in 2025 from a staggering 30.3 billion streams, showcasing the increasing international appeal and commercial viability of Nigerian music.
The report offers a comprehensive overview of music streaming economics and artist performance worldwide. The data released illustrates the rapidly evolving Nigerian music scene, fueled by heightened global interest alongside a growing domestic audience.
According to Spotify, the earnings for Nigerian artists in 2025 saw a remarkable increase of over 140 percent compared to the previous two years, emphasizing the expanding economic possibilities for musicians within the nation.
Moreover, the report shed light on how engaged audiences are with Nigerian music on the platform. In 2025, Nigerian artists achieved 30.3 billion streams and garnered 1.6 billion hours of listening time on Spotify. Notably, first- time listeners discovered their music over 1.3 billion times, a 26 percent rise from 2024.
Within Nigeria, local music maintained its dominance in streaming. Spotify reported that Nigerian musicians represented over 80 percent of songs in Spotify Nigeria’s Daily Top 50 chart in 2025. The consumption of Nigerian music grew by an impressive 170 percent year-on-year.
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify's Managing Director for Africa, remarked that the statistics reflect Nigerian music's ongoing expansion on both global and local scales, reinforcing connections with domestic audiences.
“Nigeria’s music narrative remains one of innovation and creativity with significant global cultural resonance. We observe a market where talent reaches new audiences worldwide while fostering deeper connections locally. Loud & Clear serves as an opportunity to highlight the innovative strategies artists employ to forge sustainable careers and illustrates how Nigerian creators are shaping the future of music,” she noted.
Additional insights revealed significant growth across various segments of the Nigerian music sector. Streams from female Nigerian artists rose by 55 percent year-on-year, with independent Nigerian musicians experiencing a 75 percent increase in streams.
Interestingly, the data indicated that 58 percent of all royalties earned by Nigerian artists on Spotify in 2025 flowed to independent creators and labels, marking an increase in the influence of independent artists in the nation’s music industry.
The report also noted that nearly 2,000 Nigerian artists were included in Spotify’s editorial playlists throughout the year, significantly enhancing their visibility and reach.
Globally, Nigerian artists featured in around 320 million user-generated playlists, and more than 12 million playlists within Nigeria incorporated Nigerian music. Collectively, over 60 million playlists consisting of Nigerian artists were curated on the platform in 2025 alone.
Beyond existing genres like Afrobeats, the report also highlighted shifting listening preferences in Nigeria. In the last five years, other genres such as pop urbaine, alternative pop, anime, emo, and drill witnessed rapid growth on Spotify, indicating an increasingly varied and vibrant musical landscape.
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