Spotify Data Signals Strong Growth in Nigeria’s Music Industry, Surpassing 30 Billion Streams in 2025
New data released by Spotify highlights significant expansion in Nigeria’s music sector, with increased streaming activity, rising revenues, and stronger global visibility for local artists in 2025.
According to the platform’s latest Loud & Clear report, Nigerian music generated more than ₦60 billion in revenue, reflecting a growth of over 140% within the past two years. The figures point to both increasing monetization and a broader audience base for Nigerian content.
Listener engagement also reached new levels during the year. Nigerian artists recorded approximately 30.3 billion streams and accumulated 1.6 billion listening hours on Spotify. First-time listener discovery rose to 1.3 billion, representing a 26% increase compared to 2024, indicating continued expansion into new audiences.
The report further shows notable growth across different segments of the industry. Streams of Nigerian female artists increased by 55% year-on-year, while independent artists experienced a 75% rise over the same period. Independent artists and labels accounted for 58% of total royalties earned by Nigerian musicians on the platform, suggesting a shift toward more decentralized music distribution.
In terms of visibility, Spotify added nearly 2,000 Nigerian artists to its editorial playlists in 2025. Nigerian music also gained traction globally, appearing in close to 320 million user-generated playlists worldwide. Within Nigeria, over 12 million playlists featured local artists, contributing to a total of more than 60 million playlists that included Nigerian music during the year.
Listening trends indicate evolving audience preferences. Genres such as pop urbaine, alternative pop, anime-inspired music, emo, and drill recorded the fastest growth over the past five years. At the same time, domestic consumption remained strong, with Nigerian artists occupying more than 80% of positions on Spotify Nigeria’s Daily Top 50 chart. Local streaming activity increased by 170% year-on-year.
Commenting on the findings, Spotify’s Africa leadership noted that Nigeria’s music ecosystem continues to expand in both creativity and global reach, with artists adopting diverse strategies to build sustainable careers.
Overall, the data suggests that Nigerian music is strengthening its position both locally and internationally, supported by rising consumption, diversified genres, and increased participation from independent creators.
