Nigerians streamed more than 1.4 million hours of music in 2025, according to figures released by Spotify on Monday in Lagos.
In the same report, the platform confirmed that Nigerian singer Tems has reached 38.3 million monthly listeners, making her the most-listened-to African artist on Spotify.
Spotify said the rise in Tems’ audience followed recent international collaborations and new releases, such as “Raindance” with Dave, “Bunce Road Blues” with J. Cole and Future, and tracks from her extended play released in late 2025. She recently surpassed South African singer Tyla, who has 38.2 million monthly listeners.
The streaming service stated that audio streaming in Nigeria has grown at an average rate of 163.5 per cent over the past five years. According to the company, the average Nigerian listener on the platform is 26 years old.
Podcast consumption has also expanded, with Spotify reporting that total podcast streaming on the platform has exceeded 59 billion hours globally since launch.
The company added that Nigerian users engage widely with content, streaming an average of 150 different artists in recent months.
Notably, in March 2025, during its Loud & Clear announcement in Lagos, Spotify disclosed that Nigerian artists earned more than ₦58 billion in royalties in 2024. This figure is more than double the amount recorded in 2023 and five times higher than earnings in 2022.
The number of Nigerian artistes earning at least ₦10 million in royalties also doubled compared to 2023. More than 1,900 Nigerian artists were added to Spotify’s editorial playlists in 2024, marking a 33 per cent increase from the previous year. The company further noted that first-time listeners discovered Nigerian music more than one billion times during the period.
Most Streamed Artists and Songs
Over the past five years, the most-streamed artists in Nigeria include Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Wizkid, and Seyi Vibez.
Among the most replayed songs were Remember and Lonely At The Top by Asake, Kese (Dance) by Wizkid, Doha by Seyi Vibez, and With You by Davido featuring Omah Lay.
Spotify reported strong growth across genres between 2021 and 2025. Afrobeats streams increased by 5,022 per cent, Amapiano 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.
Listening to indigenous language music also recorded significant gains, rising by 554 per cent in 2024 and 87 per cent in 2025.
Globally, Spotify reported 700 million active users, with operating income rising by 28 per cent to 582 million euros, while net income more than doubled to 899 million euros. The company projects it will reach 745 million active users and 289 million paying subscribers by the end of 2025.
