By Ghazali Ibrahim
Afrobeats Music act Asake has become the most-streamed artist in the history of Spotify Nigeria, according to data released by the streaming platform as it celebrates five years of operation in the country.
This is coming as a shock to many as the revered big three: Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy fail to secure top spot in Nigerian entertainment space.
Spotify, which entered the Nigerian market in February 2021, unveiled its all-time rankings this week, showing how local listeners have shaped music consumption in the digital era.
Asake topped the list ahead of fellow Nigerian stars like Wizkid, Seyi Vibez, Burna Boy and Davido, a lineup that reflects the dominance of Afrobeats and street pop in Nigeria’s streaming culture.
The rankings cover listening figures from Spotify’s launch in Nigeria in 2021 through 2025.
Asake’s rise burst into the mainstream in 2022 with his smash hit Omo Ope, before releasing a string of successful projects that resonated with young listeners. His debut album, Mr Money With Vibe, has amassed hundreds of millions of streams, while tracks from his subsequent albums also posted massive global plays.
In addition to topping the artist chart, Asake’s song “Remember” has been revealed as the most-streamed song ever on Spotify Nigeria, highlighting his continued pull with audiences.
Other tracks like “Lonely At The Top” keep him firmly in the conversation as one of the defining voices of his generation.
Spotify’s five-year report also highlighted how local music genres have surged on the platform with Afrobeats streams up by more than 5,000% since 2021 and listening to Nigerian indigenous-language music growing significantly in recent years.
The average Nigerian Spotify listener is around 26 years old, underlining how young people are driving both discovery and engagement.
