Nigeria’s music industry has evolved into a $2 billion powerhouse, propelled by a wave of chart-topping artists whose influence extends far beyond the country’s borders.
In 2023 alone, Nigerian artists generated millions in royalties from global platforms, with Spotify reporting a 25% year-on-year increase in payouts to local acts.
The sector’s rapid growth is also feeding the broader economy, boosting tourism, fashion, nightlife, and digital exports.
Yet behind every hit single and sold-out tour stands a cadre of strategic power players: the artist managers. These professionals negotiate contracts, shape public images, and craft the global rollouts that turn local tracks into international anthems.
This list highlights some of Nigeria’s most influential artist managers between 2023 and 2025, selected based on their role in shaping the success of some of the country’s biggest chart-topping musicians.
This research draws from publicly available data across multiple music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Boomplay, and Audiomack, as well as industry reports, interviews, and press coverage.
The selection process considered the following criteria:
- The number of hit songs managed artists have released in the last two to three years, measured by consistent presence on streaming and download charts.
- Sustained relevance over the period under review, rather than short-term spikes in popularity.
- Management consistency, measured by how well the manager has navigated challenges, market shifts, and career growth for their artist.
Note: this is not a ranking but a curated spotlight on the strategists behind Nigeria’s biggest music successes.
Alexander Okeke has been a central force in shaping the careers of some of Nigeria’s most commercially successful artists, most notably Fireboy DML. Serving as Head of Talent and Business at YBNL Nation since 2012, Okeke oversees artist acquisition, brand positioning, and long-term strategy for the label’s roster, which includes Olamide, DJ Enimoney, and Fireboy.
He works closely with Oluwaseun “Mama Citizens” Fasehun, who handles Fireboy’s day-to-day management, creating a dual-management structure that blends business acumen with artist-focused guidance.
Okeke’s influence extends far beyond YBNL. Through his company, Red & Axla Logistics, and its events arm, The Red Room, he has driven high-level talent management, PR, and event production for over a decade. His résumé includes collaborations with Adekunle Gold, Lil Kesh, Chidinma and Praiz, as well as production work for major shows such as Olamide Live in Concert (OLIC), One Africa Music Fest (London & Houston), Flytime Music Festival, and Warri Again (Lagos Edition).
In Fireboy’s case, Okeke’s strategic positioning helped propel albums like Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps (2019), Apollo (2020), Playboy (2022), and Adedamola (2024) to strong commercial performance, with hits like “Peru” (and its Ed Sheeran remix) cementing his status on global charts.
