Showbiz
The Nigerian Music Revolution: Powered by Streaming
Nigeria, sometimes referred to as the Giant of Africa, has undoubtedly contributed massively to this growth. With a population of approximately 230 million and being home to some of Africa’s biggest artists, the country’s music scene is a force to be reckoned with. Streaming platforms like Spotify have been a game-changer, allowing artists to reach audiences beyond their borders and benefit financially from their craft.
Spotify launched its annual report, Loud & Clear, to increase transparency in the music industry by sharing data on Spotify’s royalty payments and breaking down the global streaming economy, the players and the process. For the second year in a row, Spotify is releasing data on earnings specifically for Nigerian artists on the platform.
Here are the key figures from Spotify’s 2024 Loud & Clear Report on Nigerian music streaming:
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Streaming royalties for Nigerian artists on Spotify alone exceeded 25 billion NGN in 2023, double the prior year. (2,500% increase since 2017)
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The number of Nigerian artists earning over 10 million NGN in royalties quadrupled since 2018
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Over half of these royalties went to independent artists or labels, showcasing the democratizing power of streaming
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Spotify listeners discovered Nigerian artists nearly 950 million times in 2023
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Nigerian artists own over 80% of the tracks featured on Nigeria’s daily top 50 charts in 2023
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Over 1,400 Nigerian artists added to Spotify editorial playlists in 2023
“The significant growth in royalties earned by Nigerian artists on our platform is a powerful testament to their talent, creativity, and global appeal. We’re proud to amplify their voices and fuel the Nigerian music revolution. As a leader in the streaming economy, we’re committed to supporting African creators to make a living from their art and we’ll continue to invest further in African artists to ensure this momentum continues,” says Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Beyond Afrobeats: A Genre Revolution
While Afrobeats remains the king, Nigeria’s music scene is experiencing a genre revolution. Spotify data reveals an increase in popularity across local genres:
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Homegrown genres like Highlife (up 224%), Igbo Pop (up 303%), and Fuji (up 187%) are experiencing significant increases in listenership in the last 12 months
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Highlife, Fuji, and Igbo Pop also saw listenership increase in Q1 2024 growing by 240%, 175%, and 270% respectively compared to Q1 2023
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Top Artists: Fuji king K1 De Ultimate remains on top, while Highlife finds new life with Umu Obiligbo‘s energy and Phyno for Igbo Pop
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Top Tracks: Fuji gets a fresh spin with Adewale Ayuba’s Koloba Koloba, Highlife goes nostalgic with Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe’s Nwanem Ebezina and Igbo Pop gets a vibrant boost with KCee’s Ojapiano
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Men dominate listeners of local music genres like Fuji (85%), Highlife (89%), and Igbo Pop (81%). However, Gen Z (aged 18-24) is the leading age group across all three genres, making up 32% of Fuji listeners, 31% of Highlife listeners, and 46% of Igbo Pop listeners
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Interestingly, cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Katsina all top the charts for streaming these local genres – Fuji, Highlife, and Igbo Pop
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The top 5 exported music genres from Nigeria are Afrobeats, Nigerian Pop, Afropop, Nigerian Hip Hop and Afro R&B
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A Nigerian actress, Temitope Osoba, fondly called Tope Osoba by her fans, has reportedly passed away.
She died barely a year after she survived a battle with breast cancer, reports say.
The 41-year-old entertainer left the acting world to cater to her health, but returned shortly after she had a successful treatment in 2025.
The movie producer, however, has not been very active in the past months, ostensibly due to her health.
Her demise has come as a shock to some of her colleagues and admirers, as she was very lively during her lifetime.
Details about the unfortunate incident, which became known to her fans on Wednesday morning, have not been given by her family.
The first official voting of Big Brother Naija Season 11 is here, and fans have the power to decide who stays in the House and who leaves the competition.
After a week of getting to know the housemates, watching alliances form and seeing personalities emerge, this is where fans move from watching the game to influencing it. If you’ve been thinking about voting, here are five reasons why now is the time.
1. This Is the Season’s First Real Eviction
First evictions are always significant. They set the tone for the weeks ahead, reshape the House and often change the direction of the game. Viewers hold the power to change the trajectory of the game as they influence who continues their BBN journey and who the first set of housemates to leave are.
2. It’s Too Early to Lose Someone You Enjoy Watching
You may not have settled on a favourite housemate yet, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s only the first eviction. But if there’s someone you’ve enjoyed watching over the past week, this is your chance to help keep them in the House. Waiting until you’ve picked a favourite could mean losing a housemate you wish had stayed a little longer.
3. Every Vote Shapes the Competition
Who stays and who leaves affects everything from alliances and rivalries to tasks and strategies. The decisions viewers make this week will have an impact on how the game unfolds in the coming weeks.
4. Online Buzz Doesn’t Keep Housemates in the House
A housemate may trend all week, but that doesn’t automatically translate into safety. At the end of the day, it’s the votes that determine who survives eviction.
5. Don’t Leave It to Someone Else
It’s easy to assume other fans will do the voting, but every vote contributes to the final result. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see remain in the competition, this is your opportunity to back them.
Here’s How to Vote
Voting is available through the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app, as well as the Africa Magic voting website.
To vote:
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Register or log in using your mobile number and password.
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Select your favourite housemate.
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Choose the number of votes you’d like to cast.
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Submit your votes before the voting window closes.
Looking to boost your voting power? You can also earn bonus votes by playing games and completing quizzes on the MyDStv app and MyGOtv app.
The voting window for the first eviction is now open and closes on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. If there’s a housemate you’d like to see in the House for another week, be sure to cast your votes before the deadline.
Catch all the drama live and 24/7 on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 49. BBNaija season 11 is also available to watch on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream. For updates and exclusive news, visit www.africamagic.dstv.com/
After days of anticipation, Flora and Aikou have been confirmed as this season’s Gambits after receiving the highest number of votes from viewers. This was revealed during Sunday’s live show, where host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu announced the pair as the viewers’ choices.
Introduced as a brand-new twist for Season 11, The Gambit guarantees two selected housemates a place in the House until the final day. Although they will participate in tasks and House activities throughout the season, they will not be eligible to compete for the grand prize.
Sunday’s live show also marked the end of the Ladies-versus-Gentlemen format that defined the opening weeks of the competition. With the teams officially dissolved, the housemates will now compete as individuals.
Biggie also unveiled this week’s wager task, Game On, challenging the housemates to define the identity of Season 11. Through a creative presentation incorporating elements such as a logo, slogan, song, artwork and props, the housemates have been tasked with capturing what they believe this edition of Big Brother Naija should stand for and how they want it to be remembered.
The excitement continues today with the second Head of House Challenge at 2:00 p.m., where housemates will once again battle for power in the House. This will be followed by this week’s nomination show at 7:00 p.m., when viewers will find out who will become the first set of housemates to face possible eviction.
With Flora and Aikou’s fate in the House secured till the last day and the housemates now playing as individuals, the stakes have never been higher as the battle for the grand prize gathers momentum.
Viewers can enjoy the 24/7 BBNaija Season 11 experience on DStv and GOtv, or stream every episode live on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream.
For more updates, visit Africa Magic’s Big Brother Naija page and follow #BBNaija on X (@bbnaija), Instagram (@bigbronaija) and Facebook (Big Brother Naija).
