Spotify’s royalty payments to artists from Nigeria and South Africa — its two largest African markets — reached around $59 million in 2024, marking a major boost in earnings for African musicians on the global stage.
The streaming platform paid out a total of $10 billion in royalties worldwide last year, highlighting the growing global demand for African music. While the continent represents a small portion of Spotify’s global catalogue, its influence is rapidly growing, fueled by internationally recognized artists like Nigeria’s Burna Boy and South Africa’s Tyla.
According to data released by Spotify on April 3, Nigerian artists earned over 58 billion naira ($38 million) in royalties in 2024, more than double the amount from 2023. South African artists earned 400 million rand ($21 million), a 54% increase from the previous year.
A significant portion of this revenue came from international audiences. Nigerian music exports grew by 49% over the past three years, while South Africa saw a remarkable 104% growth. Spotify also revealed that Nigerian artists now appear in around 250 million user-generated playlists, while South African acts are featured in over 220 million playlists.
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s managing director for Sub-Saharan Africa, noted the rise of mid-tier and emerging artists making a living from streaming, saying, “What we’re seeing is an excellent evolution.” In Nigeria, the number of artists earning over 10 million naira annually on Spotify doubled last year, and tripled since 2022. In South Africa, the number of artists earning between 100,000 and 500,000 rand also doubled over the past three years, showcasing Spotify’s role in reshaping music careers across Africa.