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Nigerian artists are attracting tens of millions of listeners on Spotify, reflecting just how far the country’s music has travelled.
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While established stars continue to dominate, younger artists are steadily taking up more space among Nigeria’s biggest streaming acts.
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International collaborations, major releases and the staying power of older hits are all helping Nigerian artists reach new listeners around the world.
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Monthly listener figures were checked directly on each artist’s Spotify profile on August 18, 2026. Because Spotify monthly listener counts fluctuate, figures may change after publication.
August 18, (THEWILL) — Afrobeats has grown far beyond its Nigerian roots, with the country’s biggest artists now reaching millions of listeners around the world.
Spotify’s Monthly Listeners figure offers a snapshot of that reach. The metric counts listeners who have played an artist’s music in the past 28 days, meaning the ranking can change as new music is released, songs pick up momentum and older records find new audiences.
The latest figures show just how much Nigerian music continues to travel. While the biggest names remain comfortably ahead, the gap between artists further down the list is much smaller.
From a historic milestone at the top to younger stars steadily building their global audiences, here are the 10 Nigerian artists currently recording the most Spotify monthly listeners.
1. Burna Boy: 59.5 million monthly listeners
Burna Boy’s global reach has entered another phase this year, helped by his collaboration with Shakira on “Dai Dai”. As the official song of the FIFA World Cup 2026, it has introduced his music to new audiences across major international markets.
He also recently became the first African artist to cross 60 million monthly listeners on Spotify. His figure has since dipped slightly, reflecting how quickly the monthly listener count can change, but the milestone still highlights the sheer scale of his global audience.
2. Tems: 36.2 million monthly listeners
Tems continues to command one of the strongest streaming audiences among African female artists.
Her distinct blend of alternative R&B and Afrobeats has helped her music travel well beyond the continent.
The continued success of her album “Born in the Wild”, along with major international collaborations and appearances on Spotify’s official Songs of Summer 2026 playlists, has kept her music in front of a wide global audience.
3. Rema: 26.8 million monthly listeners
Rema’s global breakthrough has developed into a sustained international presence rather than a moment built around a single hit. His increasingly adventurous sound has also helped him carve out a distinct identity within Afrobeats’ younger generation.
His inclusion on the FIFA World Cup 2026 album has introduced his music to even more listeners, while the lasting popularity of “Calm Down” continues to bring new audiences to his catalogue.
4. Ayra Starr: 19.3 million monthly listeners
Ayra Starr is closing in on another major streaming milestone, with her audience now nearing 20 million monthly listeners.
The release of her third studio album, “Starrgirl”, on August 14 has given her streaming profile fresh momentum.
The album shattered domestic first-day records upon release and features collaborations with artists including Wizkid, Rema and ZAYN.
Her international festival appearances and earlier releases have also continued to expand her audience outside Nigeria.
5. Wizkid: 17.1 million monthly listeners
Wizkid’s numbers demonstrate how strong his music has remained over the years. Even between major album releases, his music continues to attract listeners across different generations and markets.
Anticipation around his upcoming album, “Sexy”, has kept attention on his catalogue, while recent collaborations, including “MMS” with Asake and his appearance on “Starrgirl”, have given audiences new reasons to return to his profile.
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6. Davido: 11.7 million monthly listeners
Davido remains one of Nigeria’s most consistent streaming forces, with a catalogue that continues to attract listeners well beyond individual release cycles.
His “5ive” campaign, along with new music, live performances and other releases, has kept listeners coming back to his catalogue, while tracks such as “With You” with Omah Lay have helped maintain his presence across Nigerian and diaspora playlists.
7. CKay: 11.5 million monthly listeners
CKay’s streaming strength is a reminder of how long a global hit can continue working for an artist.
His current “Banger Boy” rollout and the performance of “African Girls” have brought fresh attention to his catalogue.
But the foundation remains “Love Nwantiti”, which continues to introduce new listeners to his music years after its original release.
That enduring record gives CKay a remarkably strong streaming base, even as he enters new phases of his career.
8. Omah Lay: 11.2 million monthly listeners
Omah Lay continues to stand out for his blend of Afrobeats and R&B, with his music known for its moody sound and personal lyrics.
His single “Clarity of Mind” has brought more attention to his music this year, while older songs continue to attract listeners.
He is also just 300,000 monthly listeners behind CKay, making their positions one of the closest on the list.
9. Fireboy DML: 9.4 million monthly listeners
Fireboy DML’s current numbers have been helped by the rollout of his “ZUKO!” era, with new singles bringing fresh attention to his music.
At the same time, older hits like “Peru” continue to attract listeners. Together, his new releases and established catalogue have kept him in Nigeria’s top 10.
10. Asake: 9 million monthly listeners
Asake rounds out the ranking, having built one of the strongest streaming audiences among Nigeria’s newer generation of stars.
His 2026 feature run has kept his music in circulation, with collaborations such as “MMS” with Wizkid giving him another major international record.
He has also surpassed 4 billion career Spotify streams across all credits this year, further underlining the scale of his catalogue.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
