On February 23, 2021, Spotify listeners in Nigeria gained access to over 70 million songs, 2.2 million podcast titles, and over 4 billion playlists for free. Spotify debuted with a music experience tailored to Africa, with over 100 expertly crafted playlists covering some of the continent’s most influential genres. But what attracted the attention of the audience?
The first 30 days showed how much Nigerian music fans worship their native musicians. Nigerian artists account for four of the top five most-streamed artists. The country’s most famous actors, Wizkid, Burna Child, Davido, and Rema, are at the top of the list.
Local hits are also the most common among Nigerian listeners. Rema’s Bounce is the most-streamed song in Nigeria this month, followed by Wizkid and Burna Boy’s Ginger and Davido and Teni’s For You.
It’s no surprise that hot hit Naija is one of the most-streamed playlists among users, given their good appetite for local sounds. Listeners’ eagerness to explore music from all over the continent is reflected in Spotify’s Africa to the World playlist Africa Heat, which comes in second.
While podcast listening is a new trend in Nigeria, it is quickly gaining traction among Nigerians. I Said What I Said has been the most popular podcast on Spotify in the last month, with Kwality Kontent coming in second. Articulate One and The Daily Show With Trevor Noah: Ears Edition came in fourth and fifth place, respectively, behind TED Talks Daily and TED Talks Daily.
Most Spotify streams in Nigeria are streamed by residents of Lagos, Suleja, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Benin City.
