Wednesday, 18 March 2026 — Special Edition
The beat goes global:
Nigerian music rewrites history
Nigerian music rewrites history
From a posthumous Grammy for Fela to ₦60bn in streaming revenue — Nigeria’s music industry is louder, richer, and more unstoppable than ever.
🎵 Afrobeats · Global Takeover · 2026
Key numbers
Spotify revenue (2025)
₦60bn+
≈ $42m · Up 140% in 2 years
Total streams (2025)
30.3bn
1.6bn listening hours
New listener discoveries
1.3bn
+26% vs 2024
Spotify Nigeria Daily Top 50
80%+
Tracks by Nigerian artists
Growth at a glance
Top stories
Fela Kuti becomes first African artist to win a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
The Afrobeat pioneer was honoured posthumously at the 2026 Special Merit Awards in Los Angeles on January 31. His children Yeni, Femi, Kunle and Shalewa Kuti accepted on his behalf. “I’m sure my father is smiling down on us,” Yeni said.
okayafrica.com — Full story ↗Nigerian artists earn over ₦60bn from Spotify in 2025 — Loud & Clear report
Spotify’s annual Loud & Clear report, released in Lagos on 17 March, confirmed Nigerian artists raked in N60bn ($42m) last year — with local consumption up 170% year-on-year and 30.3 billion total streams.
nairametrics.com — Full story ↗Burna Boy, Davido & Ayra Starr nominated at the 2026 Grammy Awards
Three of Nigeria’s biggest stars received Grammy nominations this year, cementing Afrobeats’ dominance at the world’s most prestigious music ceremony. Davido’s nomination is his first ever.
bellanaija.com — Full story ↗New releases: Omah Lay, Seyi Vibez, Ayra Starr, Kezyklef & more drop fresh music
Lekaa Beats dropped “Angels” ft. Omah Lay & Odumodublvck; Seyi Vibez released “My Healer” ft. Omah Lay; Kezyklef returned with “Finish” ft. Cheque; Ayra Starr continues her run from Mavin Records.
tunesloaded.com — Latest releases ↗“Nigeria’s music story continues to be one of creativity, innovation, and global cultural influence. What we’re seeing is a market where talent is not only reaching new audiences around the world but also building deeper connections at home.”
— Jocelyn Muhutu-Remy, Spotify Managing Director for Africa · tvcnews.tv ↗
Artists in focus
Burna Boy Davido Ayra Starr Omah Lay Wizkid Seyi Vibez Asake Odumodublvck Kezyklef Patoranking Femi Kuti Blaqbonez
Further reading
↗ africasacountry.com — “Afrobeats after Fela” — deep dive into REAL Vol. 1 & legacy ↗ aljazeera.com — Fela Kuti Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award coverage ↗ channelstv.com — 2Baba on Wizkid vs Fela debate ↗ musicinafrica.net — Fela’s Grammy: a reminder of his indelible impact ↗ naijanews.com — Today’s full Nigerian newspaper headlines ↗ val9ja.com — Latest Nigerian music releases & trending songs