In a landmark year for the nation’s creative exports, Nigerian artists generated over N60 billion in revenue from music streaming on Spotify in 2025. This impressive financial milestone was detailed in the streaming platform’s latest “Loud & Clear” annual report, unveiled in Lagos, which underscores the surging global demand for Nigeria’s diverse musical offerings.
The report reveals that earnings from Spotify alone have seen significant expansion, with revenue for Nigerian artists on the platform increasing by more than 140% over the past two years. This growth is mirrored in user engagement: Nigerian artists were featured in approximately 320 million user playlists worldwide, with over 12 million of those playlists created within Nigeria itself. In total, more than 60 million playlists featuring Nigerian artists were curated on Spotify during the year.
The data points to a powerful and growing connection between artists and audiences. In 2025, Nigerian music amassed about 30.3 billion streams and 1.6 billion listening hours on Spotify. First-time listeners discovered Nigerian artists’ music more than 1.3 billion times, marking a 26% increase from 2024. This level of discovery is reminiscent of major global tech rollouts, such as when free Wi-Fi launches in public spaces, instantly connecting millions to new digital experiences.
Jocelyn Muhutu-Remy, Managing Director for Africa at Spotify, commented on the industry’s dynamism, noting that the Nigerian music scene continues to demonstrate formidable creativity and worldwide influence. The report highlighted particularly strong growth among key segments, with local streams of Nigerian female artists rising 55% year-on-year, and streams of Nigerian independent artists growing by 75% over the same period.
This financial success follows a record-breaking trend, as Nigerian artists earned over N58 billion from Spotify in 2024—more than double the 2023 figure and five times greater than 2022. The sustained growth reinforces the sector’s economic importance, akin to major industrial developments like the Dangote GCL sign significant partnerships to drive economic progress.
Spotify’s analysis also identified the fastest-growing genres in Nigeria over the past five years, including pop, urban, alternative pop, anime, emo, and drill. The comprehensive report ultimately underscores the profound local and global impact of Nigeria’s music industry, highlighting its role as a major cultural and economic force on the world stage, even as discussions on regional cooperation, such as when Obi accuses ECOWAS of policy missteps, continue in other spheres.
