Audio streaming giant Spotify paid approximately $59 million in royalties to artists from Nigeria and South Africa—its two largest African markets—in 2024, as global interest in African music genres like Afrobeats and Amapiano continues to soar.
According to the Swedish company, which disbursed about $10 billion in royalties worldwide last year, the spike in payouts to African artists underscores the continent’s growing cultural footprint, even though Africa remains a relatively small segment of Spotify’s global catalogueue.
The platform revealed on Thursday that over 250 million user-generated playlists now feature at least one Nigerian artist, while 220 million include a South African performer. The rise of internationally acclaimed stars such as Nigeria’s Burna Boy and South Africa’s Tyla has helped fuel this global momentum.
“What we’re seeing is an excellent evolution around more and more mid-tier or up-and-coming artists making a living,” said Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Nigerian artists earned over $38 million in royalties in 2024, more than double the figure from the previous year. This leap highlights the increasing commercial appeal of Nigerian music across international markets.
Export growth has played a major role: Nigerian music exports have grown by 49% over the past three years, with a rising number of artists earning significant income from global streams.
The number of Nigerian artists earning the equivalent of at least $6,600 annually has doubled year-on-year and tripled since 2022, Spotify noted.
South African performers received roughly $21 million in royalties last year, marking a 54% year-on-year increase. Export growth for South African artists has been even more dramatic, reaching 104% over the last three years.
The number of South African artists earning between $5,300 and $26,500 annually has also doubled since 2021, reflecting a healthier middle class of working musicians emerging from the region.
Spotify’s figures suggest that African artists are increasingly making a living through streaming revenues, especially from audiences outside the continent. As global attention on African music deepens, platforms like Spotify are playing a key role in turning local sounds into international hits.
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