Spotify payouts show Nigerian artists earned about ₦2 per stream in 2025

Nigerian artists earned roughly ₦1.98 for every stream on Spotify in 2025, according to figures from the global streaming platform’s annual Loud & Clear report.

Spotify said Nigerian artists generated over ₦60 billion ($43.92 million) in royalties from the platform in 2025, from 30.3 billion total streams. Dividing the revenue by total streams puts the estimated payout at just under ₦2 per stream.

Spotify provides a direct path to monetisation for many artists, but artists in lower-income markets often earn significantly less per stream than their Western counterparts because of how streaming payouts are calculated.

According to this 2025 report, one million streams in Nigeria generate just $300, while the same streams in Sweden are worth up to $10,000.

The disparity stems from Spotify’s territorial payout model, which adjusts earnings based on regional subscription fees and economic conditions. In Nigeria, Spotify’s premium plan costs about ₦1,600 ($1.17) per month, while in Sweden, where the company is headquartered, monthly subscriptions cost about $13.78.

While this model helps keep streaming affordable for listeners, it also reduces per-stream revenue for artists in lower-income regions.

Spotify says it pays royalties based on an artist’s share of overall streams across the platform, not based on a fixed per-stream rate.

“If an artist accounts for 1% of all streams in a particular country, their selected rightsholder(s) receive 1% of the recording royalties we pay there,” the streaming platform said.

Spotify pays out two-thirds of every dollar it generates from music streaming to rights holders, who eventually pay artists. Before this money gets to artists, it flows to labels, distributors, publishers, and collective management organisations.

In 2025, the company paid out $11 billion globally, with the ₦60 billion ($43.92 million) earned by Nigerian artists representing 0.39% of the total.

Streaming growth and expanding global audience 

Beyond payouts, Spotify’s data shows that the Nigerian music ecosystem is growing quickly, both locally and internationally.

In 2025, Nigerian artists generated 30.3 billion streams and had 1.6 billion listening hours on Spotify.

Revenue generated by Nigerian artists on the platform has grown more than 140% in the last two years. In 2024, it paid out ₦58 billion ($42.45 million).

In 2025, Nigerian artists were discovered by first-time listeners more than 1.3 billion times on Spotify, representing a 26% increase compared to 2024.

At home, Nigerian musicians accounted for over 80% of tracks on Spotify Nigeria’s Daily Top 50 during the year, highlighting strong domestic demand for local music.

The report also highlights the growing role of independent artists and labels in Nigeria’s music economy.

About 58% of all royalties earned by Nigerian artists on Spotify in 2025 went to independent artists or labels, indicating that a large share of revenue is flowing outside traditional label structures.

Nigerian artists were also added to nearly 2,000 editorial playlists in 2025, while Nigerian music appeared in nearly 320 million user playlists globally and over 12 million playlists in Nigeria.

More than 60 million playlists featuring Nigerian artists were created on Spotify during the year.

“Nigeria’s music story continues to be one of creativity, innovation, and global cultural influence,” said Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Managing Director, Spotify in Africa, in a statement. “What we’re seeing is a market where talent is not only reaching new audiences around the world, but also building deeper connections at home.”