Five years after its launch in Nigeria, Spotify has announced an impressive 163.5% growth rate, highlighting the country’s rapid rise as a significant player in the global streaming landscape.
In a statement released on Monday in Lagos, Spotify said it experienced triple-digit annual growth in its initial years, maintaining strong momentum into 2025.
Having entered the Nigerian market in February 2021, Spotify noted that its journey has been characterised by swift cultural evolution.
Central to this growth has been Afrobeats, which saw a staggering 5,022% increase in local streams from 2021 to 2025. Other music genres also experienced substantial growth, including Amapiano, which surged by 10,330%; Gospel and Praise, with a 5,499% increase; Hip-hop and Rap, which rose by 3,020%; and R&B, which climbed by 2,602%.
Moreover, the platform highlighted the growing interest in indigenous languages, with local language listening increasing by 554% in 2024 and by 87% in 2025. On a global scale, streams in indigenous languages rose by 141% in 2024 and by 41% in 2025, reflecting a rising demand for local storytelling and sounds.
Spotify also noted that, from the outset, Nigerian users’ listening habits showed global curiosity. The first track to stream at launch in Nigeria was by Shiga Lin, demonstrating that users are eager, diverse, and always seeking new musical experiences.
Over the past five years, some of the most-streamed artists in Nigeria have included Burna Boy, Davido, Asake, Wizkid, and Seyi Vibez. Among the top-replayed songs are “Remember” and “Lonely At The Top” by Asake, “Kese (Dance)” by Wizkid, “Doha” by Seyi Vibez, and “With You” by Davido featuring Omah Lay.
The number of Nigerian artists on the platform has risen by 158% since launch, and users have created over 25 million playlists. Notably, in 2025 alone, Nigeria recorded more than 1.4 million play hours on Spotify. Podcast consumption has also seen significant growth, with users streaming over 59 billion hours of podcasts since the platform’s launch.
User behaviour indicates a youthful and adventurous audience, with the average listener being 26 years old. Recently, Nigerians streamed music from an average of 150 different artists, showcasing a discovery-oriented audience.
Industry experts believe these figures reinforce Nigeria’s cultural impact, though they caution that this rapid consumption growth must translate into sustainable earnings for creators. Concerns remain regarding royalty transparency, fair revenue distribution, and how well emerging and regional artists benefit from algorithm-driven visibility.
To address these issues, stakeholders advocate for enhanced monetisation systems, clearer royalty frameworks, and greater access to data analytics to help artists better understand and expand their audiences.
Analysts also view the increase in indigenous-language streams as a significant export opportunity and recommend structured global playlist placements, improved metadata tagging, and strategic branding support to sustain this growth. In terms of podcasts, they call for greater investment in local advertising strategies, training, and creator tools to transform the 59 billion hours streamed into viable career paths.
