Spotify has released its annual Wrapped report for 2025, offering a clear snapshot of how Africans streamed music and podcasts throughout the year.
According to the Wrapped data, Nigerians spent more than 1.3 billion hours listening to Spotify this year. Compared to last year’s, the amount of time Nigerians spent on local music skyrocketed.
Local music consumption increased by 82% over the past year, with daily streams growing by 23%. The time spent listening to podcasts also saw a 97% year-on-year growth, with a 48% increase in podcast production.
“Nigeria’s 2025 Wrapped paints a picture of a music scene that is absolutely thriving. It’s incredible to see how fast Nigerians embrace fresh voices right alongside the legends.” Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, says.
Afrobeats to the world
African artists continued to hold their mark globally, with Afrobeats listeners growing by 22% in the past year. The most-streamed artists in Africa were mainly Nigerian and South African.
Afrobeats, Amapiano and Gen Z-led street sounds dominated streaming across major markets, including Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. The average listening age in Nigeria was recorded as 25 years.
Afrobeats remained Nigeria’s biggest export, with homegrown artists occupying most of the country’s top charts. South Africa’s Amapiano wave continued to influence playlists across Africa, even making its way into Spotify’s global editorial playlists.
Across the board, African listeners streamed more local music this year than ever before, a trend Spotify says is consistent with rising cultural engagement and better artist-to-fan engagement.
One interesting note, however, is that several breakout acts, particularly younger artists who gained traction through TikTok and Instagram challenges, made their first appearance on the annual charts, showing how social media platforms like TikTok help artists amplify their sounds.
The top 10 most-streamed songs included four major breakout acts: Fido at #2 with Joy is Coming, Kunmie at #3 with Arike, Faceless at #4 with Venus, and FOLA at #6 with Lost. The overall Most-Streamed Song was With You by Davido feat. Omah Lay.
Wizkid claimed the top spot as the most-streamed artist in Nigeria, followed by stars like Seyi Vibez, Asake, Burna Boy, and Odumodublvck. Ayra Starr retained her title as the most-streamed female artist in Nigeria, with Tems, Smur Lee, Tiwa Savage, and Sunmisola following close behind.
Burna Boy was the most exported artist, meaning that his music was streamed the most outside of Nigeria. Rema’s Calm Down with Selena Gomez was named the most exported local song for the third year in a row.
In 2025, more African artists optimised their releases for streaming platforms, with shorter tracks, more features, and rollouts tailored around playlist placement.
Beyond music, there was also a jump in podcast listening. The top-streamed podcasts pointed to a strong and consistent appetite for faith- and spirituality-led content.
