Nigeria’s music industry has become a global phenomenon, with Afrobeats taking center stage in the global music conversation.
Valued at $1.8 billion and projected to generate $14.82 billion by 2025, the industry owes much of its success to the collaborative efforts of both artists and visual storytellers/directors.
While Nigerian artists are celebrated for their talent and creativity, the role of videographers in amplifying their success is undeniable.
These directors have played a key role in refining the look and feel of Nigerian music, creating visually compelling stories that resonate with audiences worldwide. By crafting music videos that spin millions of views on platforms like YouTube, they have elevated the profiles of artists and extended the reach of their music far beyond Africa.
Videos like Davido’s Fall, Rema’s Calm Down featuring Selena Gomez, Wizkid’s Essence, and Burna Boy’s Last Last are not just popular tracks but cultural exports with high production value. These works have set new benchmarks for visual storytelling in Nigerian music, helping artists achieve viral success and attract significant international attention. For example, Calm Down boasts over a billion views on YouTube, a milestone made possible by the seamless blend of its audio and visual elements.
Beyond generating millions of views, these music videos have helped Nigerian artists secure brand deals, international collaborations, and global awards. The high production quality of these visuals has reshaped perceptions of Nigerian music, presenting it as polished, innovative, and ready for the global stage.
In this article, we spotlight 15 videographers who have been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of Nigeria’s music industry.
These professionals are not only enhancing the storytelling potential of music videos but are also positioning Nigerian music as a global leader in creativity and quality.
ThankGod Omori Henry, popularly known as TG Omori, is a highly acclaimed Nigerian music video director and filmmaker who hails from Cross River State in Nigeria. At age 16, he started making videos, and by 20, after graduating from the PEFTI Film Institute, he became the youngest professional filmmaker in Nigeria at the time.
Omori’s career in the music industry took off in 2018 when he started directing music videos for a range of Nigerian artists across various genres. His early work includes collaborations with top musicians like Olamide, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tekno, Kizz Daniel, Fireboy DML, Falz, Timaya, Naira Marley, Asake, and many others.
He quickly became one of the most sought-after directors in the Nigerian music scene. In 2019, Omori’s work dominated the music video charts, with several of his videos appearing on MTV, Soundcity, and Trace.
- Some of his standout videos from that time include Naira Marley’s controversial “Am I a Yahoo Boy,”
- Olamide & Wizkid’s “Totori,” and “Soapy” by Naira Marley, which won the Viewer’s Choice award at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival.
- Omori continued to make waves in 2021 with his direction of the North African remix of “Love Nwantiti” by CKay featuring ElGrande Toto, which went viral and garnered over 34 million views on YouTube in just one month.
Omori’s videography spans numerous successful projects, including major hits like “My Side” by Ycee (2018), “Billionaire” by Teni (2019), “Odogwu” by Burna Boy (2020), and “Champion” by Fireboy DML (2022). He has consistently directed videos that resonate with both Nigerian and international audiences, contributing to the global recognition of Afrobeat music.
Throughout his career, TG Omori has been recognized with numerous awards. He also received a nomination for Best Music Video at the 2021 Headies for his work on Teni’s “Billionaire.”
In 2022, he took home the Best Music Video Director of the Year award at the Headies for his direction of Fireboy DML’s “Champion.”
