Musicians from Nigeria and South Africa earned nearly $59 million in Spotify royalties last year, as the global appetite for African music continued to rise. The data, released by the streaming giant, shows a transformative year for artists on the continent, driven by increased international streaming and greater inclusion in global playlists.
While Spotify disbursed around $10 billion in royalties worldwide in 2024, the share claimed by African artists—though still modest—marked a significant leap. Nigeria and South Africa, the continent’s two largest markets on the platform, led the surge in earnings.
According to Spotify, over 250 million playlists featured Nigerian artists last year, while South African acts appeared in more than 220 million. The visibility has been fuelled by high-profile acts like Nigeria’s Burna Boy and South Africa’s Tyla, whose global reach has helped elevate African genres.
“We’re seeing an encouraging shift,” said Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa. “More artists, especially in the mid-tier and emerging categories, are making real income from streaming.”
Nigeria Leads in Streaming Revenue
Nigerian artists earned over 58 billion naira (about $38 million) from Spotify in 2024—more than double the previous year’s total. The number of artists earning at least 10 million naira annually has also doubled year-on-year, and tripled since 2022, underscoring the fast-evolving digital music economy.
A significant portion of that revenue came from outside Nigeria, with Spotify reporting a 49/percent increase in export growth for Nigerian music over the past three years.
South Africa’s Amapiano Surge Brings Dividends
South African artists earned 400 million rand (roughly $21 million), up 54/percent from 2023. Export growth in South Africa’s music industry soared by 104/percent over the past three years—one of the strongest increases on the continent.
The number of South African musicians earning between 100,000 and 500,000 rand annually has doubled in the same period, pointing to a broader income expansion for artists beyond the elite tier.
African Soundtracks Go Global
As global streaming platforms expand their reach, African musicians are no longer confined to local audiences. Genres such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Afro-fusion are gaining prominence in the international soundscape, breaking barriers and delivering tangible financial rewards for the artists behind them.
With the momentum continuing, 2024 may go down as a landmark year for Africa’s music economy—one in which artists translated streams into sustainable incomes and global recognition.