Nigerian Music Industry Is Largest In Africa & No 10 In The World!

In the vibrant landscape of African music, Nigerian music has not only secured its place but has risen to unprecedented heights, making Nigeria the largest music industry on the continent. With a global fanbase that continues to expand, Nigerian music is now a cultural phenomenon, setting records and breaking barriers across the world.

Nigeria’s music industry is the largest in Africa, with the Nigerian entertainment industry estimated to generate about $14.82 billion in 2025. Nigerian music has become the epicentre of the Afrobeats movement. The country’s artists have propelled the genre to international acclaim, with their distinctive fusion of traditional African rhythms, highlife, and contemporary Western sounds. Among the key players who have contributed to this meteoric rise are Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, and emerging sensations Asake, Rema and Ayra Starr.

The influence of Nigerian Music is not confined to the African continent. Several tracks have made a significant impact on the global stage, with Billboard Hot 100 and 200 chart successes. Wizkid’s “Essence,” Rema’s “Calm Down,” and Burna Boy’s “Last Last” have garnered international recognition, showcasing the genre’s diverse appeal. For the first time, Billboard included Afrobeats categories in the annual Billboard Music Awards. Nominated in the Top Afrobeats Artiste category were Wizkid, Rema, Tems, Libianca, and Burna Boy with Burna Boy making history as the first-ever winner. Rema won Best Afrobeats song for Calm Down ft Selena Gomez.

Afrobeats currently reigns as the continent’s most-streamed genre of all time. Rema’s album ‘Rave & Rose Ultra’ achieved a historic milestone, becoming the most streamed African music album, amassing over one billion streams on Spotify within two days of its release.

Nigerian artists on streaming platforms have garnered millions of monthly listeners, further solidifying the genre’s global dominance. Rema leads the pack with an astonishing 33,871,100 monthly streams, followed by Burna Boy with 17,407,138, and Ayra Starr with 13,958,901. These impressive numbers reflect the widespread appeal of Afrobeats on a digital scale, showcasing the genre’s influence and the global resonance of Nigerian music.

Adding to Afrobeats’ global recognition is Tems, whose song earned her an Oscar nomination for “Lift Me Up” featured in the film “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” This marks a historic moment, demonstrating that Afrobeats is not only conquering the music industry but also making waves in the film world.

The O2 Arena in London, a symbolic venue for global music icons, witnessed history as Asake, Wizkid, Rema, and Davido sold out their respective shows. This accomplishment reinforces the international appeal of Afrobeats and solidifies the artists’ positions as influential figures in the global music scene.

Burna Boy blazed the trail for Nigerian artists at the Grammy Awards with his nomination for “African Giant” in 2020. This landmark moment paved the way for further recognition, culminating in Burna Boy’s 2021 Grammy win for “Twice As Tall.” His success has set a precedent for other Afrobeats artists and underscored the genre’s significance on the global music stage.

Building on Burna Boy’s success, the 2023 Grammy nominations showcase Afrobeats’ enduring impact. Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Davido, Olamide, and Ayra Star got nominations for Best African Music Performance, announced on November 11. The genre’s artists continue to receive nominations, solidifying their status as influential contributors to the global music landscape. As Afrobeats gains more traction, it is evident that the genre’s influence is not fleeting but rather an enduring force that has reshaped the narrative of African music.

Davido’s performance at the World Cup final and Burna Boy’s performance at the Champions League final have expanded the reach of Nigerian music to a truly global audience, further solidifying its place on the world stage.

The music industry has witnessed commendable growth within the last decade. One of the platforms that has championed this growth is NECLive, an entertainment conference established in 2013 to tackle issues in the Nigerian entertainment space. The conference has hosted 11 events in the last 10 years reaching an audience of over 100 million in more than 30 different countries.

The growth of African music is one of triumph, unity, and cultural celebration. From dominating charts to making history at prestigious venues and award shows, Nigeria’s music industry has positioned itself as the largest and most influential on the African continent, with Afrobeats at the forefront of this musical revolution.