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.
Yemi Alade’s manager is Taiye Aliyu, CEO of Effyzzie Music Group, the record label responsible for managing her career. Taiye Aliyu has played a critical role in Yemi Alade’s ascent to global stardom, growing the label from a zero-budget startup to a powerhouse that secured licensing deals with Universal Music Africa and Universal Music France. These partnerships expanded Yemi Alade’s reach worldwide, making her the exclusive global recorded music partner for Effyzzie.
- In 2022, Yemi released the EP African Baddie, featuring collaborations with artists like Bisa Kdei. That same year, she earned a Grammy nomination for “Dignity,” a collaboration with Angelique Kidjo, in the Best Song for Social Change category, as well as a Grammy certificate for their work on Kidjo’s Mother Nature album. She also became the first Afrobeat artist nominated for a Latin Grammy with the song “Cónexion Total” alongside Bomba Estéreo.
- Between 2023 and 2025, Yemi was featured on “Akwaba,” the official 2023 AFCON theme song, performed at the tournament’s opening, and released her amapiano-inspired EP Mamapiano.
In November 2024, she received a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance for her song “Tomorrow” from the Rebel Queen album. In 2025, Yemi also contributed the opening song for the animated series Iyanu, celebrating Nigerian culture and Yoruba mythology.
