Showbiz
What’s Behind Nigeria’s Love of Local Music?
Music is an integral part of Nigerian life and there’s no doubt that Nigerians love music — whether it’s local or international. But in recent times Nigerians have consistently demonstrated their love for local artists, with many of these musicians outranking their foreign counterparts in the West, including those who are the biggest names in entertainment.
This is borne out by data from Spotify Wrapped — their annual round-up of the top artists, albums, songs and playlists of the year as streamed by users on the platform from around the world.
That love of local can even go down to city level, as proven by the fact that Lagos native Wizkid was the most streamed artist in Nigeria’s biggest city this year. And what other country on the planet would celebrate its cities’ notorious traffic jams with a four hour-long playlist primarily comprising local artists?
Given that the music and entertainment industry is set to generate around $8-billion for the economy this year, it’s a phenomenon that should undoubtedly be celebrated and encouraged.
But what drives this passion? Music from Naija (as Nigerians lovingly refer to their country) is going places and gaining worldwide popularity. This is thanks to a new wave of Nigerian artists who are creating innovative music and drawing interest from beyond the region’s borders by showcasing the vitality of the local music industry.
Afrobeats, the heavy-beat, electronic music from Nigeria, has become pop music gaining a global fan base and establishing a path to worldwide domination. Thanks to the Afrobeats’ growing popularity, renowned artists like Snoop Dogg, Drake and Ed Sheeran have collaborated with Nigerian artists, bringing them worldwide attention.
This is a point of pride for Nigerians and could provide a clue as to why they prefer local artists and music, whether they’re listening in nightclubs, at weddings or music festivals, or just through street DJs.
In Spotify’s recently released Wrapped data, Nigerian artists singing and rapping in the Afropop genre dominated the local music scene, with artists like WizKid, Burna Boy, DaVido, and Olamide topping the list of five most-streamed artists. International singer Drake is the only foreign hitmaker in the top five list.
The fact that these artists’ songs tend to revolve around love, wealth, partying, and some of society’s vices — like online fraud — all things which Nigerians deal with on a daily basis may provide some context as to why they resonate more than songs by foreign artists. .
It’s not just the latest club bangers driving Nigeria’s love of local music either. They’re also streaming local albums much more regularly than their international counterparts. Of the top 10 albums streamed by Nigerian Spotify listeners, seven were local. WizKid’s rave of the moment album Made in Lagos topped the chart, beating international artist Justin Bieber’s Justice.
Interestingly, the Wrapped data shows that Nigerians also enjoyed their local music to make the most of the time they spend in traffic. On the top five car data charts, homegrown talents and music dominated the list with LADIPOE’s Feeling topping the chart, followed by Essence, Wizkid featuring Tems, and Bounce by Ruger. Lojay’s Monalisa and DaVido’s Ke Star Remix ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
The Wrapped data shows that the love of Nigerian music cuts across age groups too. Even Gen Zs, who’ve grown up with easy access to international artists, show a strong preference for local performers. Top on the list of these artists and songs are Gbese by Yung Felix and Positivv, Feeling by LADIPOE and Bounce by Ruger.
Across the African continent, other data from Wrapped shows that Nigerian artists also ranked among the top 40 artists in sub-Saharan African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
After ten weeks of twists, shifting alliances, emotional confrontations and unforgettable moments, the BBNaija Season 10 house may have closed its doors, but many of the conversations it sparked never truly ended.
Now, months after Imisi emerged victorious and walked away with the ₦150 million grand prize, all 29 housemates are set to return for the Season 10 Reunion, hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu. As anticipation builds for BBNaija Season 11, the reunion offers fans one final opportunity to revisit the stories that kept the 10/10 season at the centre of conversation.
And if there’s one thing viewers know about BBNaija reunions, it’s that they have a way of bringing unfinished business back to the surface.
For starters, fans will be eager to hear from Dede and Kola, whose complicated dynamic generated countless conversations throughout the season. What exactly was happening between them? Was it friendship, attraction, strategy, or a little bit of everything? Months later, many viewers are still searching for answers.
Then there is Victory and Gigi Jasmine, whose rollercoaster relationship became one of the season’s most talked-about storylines. From mixed signals and emotional conversations to unexpected decisions that left viewers divided, theirs was a relationship that rarely lacked drama. The reunion could finally reveal where things stand between them today.
Questions also remain around Faith, one of the season’s most controversial and talked-about housemates. His journey from strong contender to disqualification sparked intense debate among fans and fellow housemates alike. With Sultana and Imisi both playing significant roles in some of the season’s biggest conversations involving him, the reunion may provide long-awaited clarity on one of the defining storylines of the season.
Of course, no look back at the 10/10 season would be complete without revisiting the relationships that captured viewers’ attention. Fans will be curious to know whether connections such as Koyin and Isabella’s survived beyond the house, evolved into something more, or simply became part of the BBNaija experience.
There are also questions surrounding Jason Jae, whose interactions with Joanna, Sultana and Dede kept fans speculating throughout the season. Was he simply playing the game, following genuine connections, or navigating a complicated mix of both? The reunion may finally offer some answers.
Meanwhile, Bright Morgan and Mide’s relationship remained one of the season’s most debated situationships. With emotions, misunderstandings and unanswered questions lingering after the show, viewers will undoubtedly be looking forward to hearing their perspectives now that months have passed.
Beyond the individual stories, the reunion is also an opportunity for housemates to reflect on the alliances, rivalries and decisions that shaped one of the most unpredictable seasons in BBNaija history. Friendships were tested, loyalties shifted, and housemates often found themselves on opposite sides of conversations that dominated social media week after week.
Whether it’s old rivalries, unresolved tensions, surprising reconciliations or long-awaited explanations, fans can expect the conversations they have been waiting months to hear.
The BBNaija Season 10 Reunion premieres on June 8 at 10:00 PM WAT on Africa Magic Showcase and Africa Magic Family. Episodes will be available on DStv Stream and GOtv Stream, ensuring viewers never miss a moment of the revelations, resolutions and memorable conversations that await.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A fatal auto crash has claimed the life of a Nigerian actor, Mr Adesina Okiki, otherwise known as Janmole.
The death of the thespian was confirmed on Tuesday by the president of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Mr Abolaji Amusan, popularly known as Mr Latin.
In a post on his Facebook page today, the comic actor said, “May the soul of our departed colleague, Adesina Okiki Janmole, who tragically lost his life in an accident, rest in perfect peace.
“May God grant his family, friends, and colleagues the strength and comfort to bear this irreparable loss. He will be greatly missed. Amen.”
The demise of this comedian and filmmaker comes a few weeks after the Nigerian film industry lost Alexx Ekubo to cancer.
During his lifetime, Janmole, who died in a road accident on Monday, acted in several movies. He was known for his humour, screen presence and contributions to the Yoruba movie industry.
About four years ago, he survived a fire incident along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, an experience many believed he had narrowly escaped.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Lovers of the popular Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) reality television show will have the opportunity to watch the BBNaija Season 10 Reunion Show.
The programme, to be hosted by media personality, Mr Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, will premiere on Monday, 8 June 2026, at 10 pm WAT on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv Channel 151 | GOtv Channel 8) and Africa Magic Family (DStv Channel 154 | GOtv Channel 7), with each episode available on the DStv Stream and GOtv Stream apps the following day.
The reunion show will feature all 29 housemates. Fans can follow all reunion updates using the hashtag #BBNaijaReunion across social media platforms and Africa Magic for exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes content.
On October 5, 2025, the BBNaija Season 10 came to an end, with Opeyemi Ayanwale, popularly known as Imisi, emerging champion with 42.84 per cent of the public votes.
The 23-year-old fashion designer and actress from Oyo State walked away with a grand prize of N150 million, including N80 million in cash and a brand-new Innoson SUV.
The reunion is expected to address several unresolved storylines from the season, including the disqualification of housemate Faith in the final week following a physical altercation with Sultana. The season also produced some of its most viral moments in years, including a spoon-related standoff that dominated X for days and a series of romantic entanglements that split fan bases across the continent.
Season 10 was considered one of the most exciting editions of the show to date, introducing the Bag of Big Twists, a red telephone delivering random instructions from Biggie, a restructured Head of House challenge and an Influential Player of the Week feature.
With plans for a new season already in motion, the BBNaija 10 over 10 reunion show is set to officially close conflicts, encourage clarifications and allow the housemates to lay it all bare to the viewers and themselves one last time.
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