Spotify has revealed that royalty payments to artists from Nigeria and South Africa—the company’s two biggest markets in Africa—rose to approximately $59 million in 2024. The increase reflects the growing international popularity of music from the continent.
The Swedish streaming platform, which disbursed around $10 billion in royalties last year, noted that African music is attracting significant attention worldwide.
This surge in interest has been fueled by internationally acclaimed artists such as South Africa’s Tyla and Nigeria’s Burna Boy.
According to Spotify, over 250 million user-generated playlists now feature at least one Nigerian artist, while 220 million playlists include a South African performer.
Growing Opportunities for African Artists
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted that the royalty increase signals a positive shift in how emerging and mid-level artists earn a sustainable income. “What we’re seeing is an excellent evolution around more and more mid-tier or up-and-coming artists making a living,” she said.
Nigerian artists received more than 58 billion naira ($38 million) in royalties last year, a significant increase from 2023 figures.
Meanwhile, South African musicians earned 400 million rand ($21 million), a 54% increase from the previous year.
Strong Export Growth for African Music
The data also shows that much revenue comes from global streams rather than domestic listeners.
Nigerian artists have experienced a 49% increase in music exports over the last three years, while South African musicians saw an even more significant jump of 104% in export growth.
Additionally, Nigerian artists’ earnings of at least 10 million naira have doubled compared to last year and tripled since 2022.
In South Africa, the number of artists earning between 100,000 and 500,000 rand has also doubled in the past three years, indicating a strong upward trend for African talent in the global music industry.
