Spotify reports that Nigerian users streamed over 1.4 million hours of music in 2025, while total podcast consumption on the platform since launch has exceeded 59 billion hours.
This is according to a statement released by Spotify to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos.
The figures reflect the rapid growth of streaming in Nigeria at an average rate of 163.5% over the past five years.
What Spotify said
According to Spotify, the average Nigerian listener is 26 years old, demonstrating a young and adventurous market that engages with a wide range of music and podcast content.
The streaming growth has been driven by both genre diversity and language, with Afrobeats leading the charge, seeing a 5,022% increase in streams locally between 2021 and 2025.
- Other genres also experienced significant growth: Amapiano surged by 10,330 per cent, Gospel and Praise by 5,499 per cent, Hip-hop and Rap by 3,020 per cent, and R&B by 2,602 per cent.
- Indigenous language listening also grew strongly, with +554 per cent in 2024 and +87 per cent in 2025, while global indigenous streams increased by +141 per cent in 2024 and +41 per cent in 2025.
- The platform also highlighted that Nigerian users are curious and eclectic, noting that the first track streamed in the country at launch was “到此為止” by Shiga Lin.
- Over five years, the most-streamed artistes in Nigeria include Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Wizkid, and Seyi Vibez, while the most replayed songs include Asake’s “Remember” and “Lonely At The Top,” Wizkid’s “Kese (Dance),” Seyi Vibez’s “Doha,” and Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay.
More details
Spotify says that the platform’s users consistently engage with multiple artistes, streaming an average of 150 different musicians in recent months. Podcast consumption has also expanded significantly, reflecting an appetite for diverse audio content alongside music.
Industry observers note that while the growth highlights Nigeria’s cultural influence, questions remain about equitable revenue distribution, royalty transparency, and support for emerging and regional acts.
Analysts urge stronger monetisation systems, improved access to data analytics, and strategic playlist placements to help artistes capitalise on streaming growth.
Podcast growth similarly presents opportunities for monetisation, with calls for deeper investment in local advertising, creator tools, and training to convert the 59 billion streaming hours into viable careers.
What you should know
Nairametrics reported that Nigerian artists earned over N58 billion in royalties from Spotify in 2024, more than double the figure from 2023 and five times greater than 2022.
The report highlights that more than 1,900 Nigerian artistes were added to Spotify editorial playlists in 2024, representing a 33 per cent increase from 2023, while first-time listeners discovered Nigerian music over one billion times.
- Nigerian artists’ international exposure has grown 49% over three years, with domestic consumption up 782%.
- Nigerian music continues to dominate playlists, with users creating roughly 250 million playlists featuring local artists.
- Spotify’s report underscores the global and local impact of Nigeria’s music industry, reinforcing ongoing investment in creative talent.
