By Peter Omopo
Nigerian musicians generated more than $42 million in revenue from Spotify streams in 2025, according to the platform’s latest Loud & Clear report.
The report highlights significant growth in the country’s music industry, with earnings rising by over 140 percent in the past two years, reflecting increased local consumption and growing international demand.
Spotify disclosed that Nigerian artists recorded 30.3 billion streams and accumulated 1.6 billion listening hours in 2025. It also noted that more than 1.3 billion first-time listeners discovered Nigerian music during the year, representing a 26 percent increase compared to 2024.
Local content continued to dominate the platform’s Nigerian charts, with homegrown artists accounting for over 80 percent of the Daily Top 50 rankings. Domestic streaming of Nigerian music also surged by 170 percent year-on-year, indicating strong support for indigenous talent.
Spotify’s Managing Director for Africa, Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, said the Nigerian music industry continues to expand its global influence while strengthening its local audience base.
She noted that the country’s music scene is marked by creativity, innovation and increasing international reach, with artists connecting to wider audiences across the world.
The report also showed notable growth among emerging and independent artists. Streams of Nigerian female artists increased by 55 percent, while independent artists recorded a 75 percent rise in streams. Independent musicians and labels accounted for about 58 percent of all royalties paid to Nigerian artists on the platform.
Spotify further revealed that nearly 2,000 Nigerian artists were featured on its curated playlists in 2025, boosting their global visibility. Nigerian music also gained traction internationally, appearing in about 320 million user-generated playlists worldwide, in addition to over 12 million playlists created within Nigeria.
In total, more than 60 million playlists featuring Nigerian artists were created on the platform during the year.
The report also pointed to shifting listener preferences, with genres such as pop urbaine, alternative pop, anime, emo and drill experiencing rapid growth over the past five years, indicating evolving tastes among Nigerian audiences.
Spotify said its Loud & Clear initiative aims to improve transparency in the streaming economy and provide insights into how artists earn revenue and connect with audiences in the digital age.
