New platform data highlights rapid streaming adoption, strong Gen Z engagement, and the expansion of Nigeria’s digital audio ecosystem beyond music.

Spotify’s latest newsroom report marking five years in Nigeria provides one of the clearest data snapshots yet of how digital audio consumption is evolving in the country. The numbers show consistent growth across listening, artist participation, and content diversification, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a major growth market for global streaming platforms.

Streaming Growth Reflects Rapid Digital Adoption

According to Spotify, listening in Nigeria has grown by an average of 163 percent year over year since the platform launched locally. Nigerian users have created more than 25 million playlists and streamed over 1.4 billion hours of audio in 2025 alone. These figures point to sustained engagement rather than short term spikes.

The scale of playlist creation is especially notable. High levels of playlist activity indicate active participation and personalization, which are key signals of platform maturity in digital markets.

Gen Z Drives Platform Engagement

Spotify says the average listener age in Nigeria is 26. This demographic trend reflects the country’s broader internet adoption patterns, where younger audiences dominate mobile usage and digital discovery.

A younger user base often translates into faster adoption of algorithm driven recommendations and social listening habits. For Spotify, Nigeria represents a market where engagement is shaped by mobile first behaviour and continuous content discovery.

Genre Growth Shows Expanding Listening Behaviour

While Afrobeats remains a core driver of streams, the data shows significant growth across multiple genres. Afrobeats streams have increased by more than 5022 percent since 2021. Other genres are expanding even faster. Amapiano streams have grown by over 10330 percent, while gospel and praise music streams have increased by 5499 percent. Hip hop and rap streams are up by 3020 percent and R and B streams have grown by 2602 percent.

These figures suggest that Nigerian listeners are exploring a wider range of sounds, which may influence how platforms invest in recommendations and local editorial playlists.

Indigenous Language Music Gains Momentum

Spotify reports that streams in Nigerian indigenous languages grew by 554 percent in 2024. The increase highlights stronger engagement with local identity and storytelling within the streaming ecosystem.

The growth of indigenous language content may also influence platform strategy around localization, metadata tagging, and audience targeting as demand continues to rise.

Podcast Listening Signals Expansion Beyond Music

In addition to music growth, Spotify says Nigerians have streamed nearly 60 million hours of podcasts since launch. The rise in spoken audio indicates a gradual shift toward a broader digital audio economy that includes commentary, education, and storytelling.

For streaming platforms, podcast adoption expands monetization opportunities and encourages the development of new creator communities.

Artist Growth Strengthens Nigeria’s Role in the Streaming Economy

The number of Nigerian artists on Spotify has increased by 158 percent since the service launched in the country. Top streamed artists include Asake, Wizkid, Seyi Vibez, Burna Boy, and Davido. Spotify’s data shows that Asake holds four of the top ten songs on the platform, including the most streamed track.

Artist growth highlights how streaming platforms are lowering barriers to global distribution while increasing visibility for emerging Nigerian creators.

Nigeria’s Strategic Importance for Global Streaming Platforms

Spotify’s five year data points to Nigeria as one of the most active digital audio markets driven by youth engagement and mobile connectivity. Rapid listening growth, rising artist participation, and expanding podcast consumption show how the country is becoming central to the next phase of streaming platform expansion.

As global companies look toward emerging markets for future growth, Nigeria’s combination of cultural influence and strong engagement metrics positions it as a key testing ground for digital audio innovation.