Spotify, the global audio streaming platform, saw its royalty payments to Nigerian and South African artists surge to approximately $59 million
in 2024, reflecting a growing global appetite for African music. These two countries remain Spotify’s largest markets on the continent, and artists from both nations are increasingly benefiting from the platform’s global reach.
According to the Swedish company, it disbursed around $10 billion in royalties worldwide last year. Although Africa accounts for a relatively small portion of Spotify’s overall content, the impact of the continent's music scene continues to grow, thanks in part to internationally acclaimed stars such as Nigeria's Burna Boy and South Africa's Tyla. Spotify revealed that over 250 million user-generated playlists now include at least one Nigerian artist, while South African acts appear in around 220 million playlists.
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the platform’s role in supporting emerging talent. "What we're seeing is an excellent evolution around more and more mid-tier or up-and-coming artists making a living," she noted.
Nigerian artists earned over 58 billion naira (roughly $38 million) in royalties in 2024, more than twice the amount received in 2023. South African musicians received 400 million rand (about $21 million), marking a 54% year-on-year increase. Notably, a significant share of this revenue came from international streams, with Nigerian artists enjoying a 49% increase in export growth over the last three years, and South African artists seeing export growth soar by 104%.
The financial gains also reflect broader success among emerging artists. In Nigeria, the number of musicians earning at least 10 million naira doubled year-on-year and has tripled since 2022. Meanwhile, in South Africa, the number of artists earning between 100,000 and 500,000 rand has doubled over the past three years, signaling a promising future for the continent's music industry.
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