Nigerian superstar Ayodeji Balogun, aka Wizkid, has made history as the first African artiste to exceed 10 billion streams on Spotify, cementing his position as a global music powerhouse.
As of January 2026, Wizkid leads Africa’s most-streamed artistes on the platform, with Burna Boy close behind at over 9.5 billion streams, Rema at 5.6 billion, and Tems surpassing 4.4 billion. South Africa’s Tyla has amassed 3.7 billion streams, while Nigerian sensation Ayra Starr follows with 3.3 billion.
Wizkid’s milestone comes after more than a decade of chart-topping hits. Collaborations with international stars have fueled his global reach, including Drake’s “One Dance,” contributing nearly 4 billion streams, and his own hit “Essence” featuring Tems, adding over 334 million streams. His Made In Lagos Deluxe album is the most-streamed project of his career, accumulating over one billion streams.
As a lead artiste, Wizkid’s most-streamed track remains “Essence,” which has become a global anthem and a benchmark for African artists breaking into international markets. The milestone highlights not only his musical influence but also the commercial and streaming potential of Afrobeats worldwide.
The achievement underscores Spotify’s growing role in globalizing African music, allowing African artistes to monetize and reach international audiences at an unprecedented scale. For investors and brands, these streaming metrics reinforce the marketability of African music as both a cultural and revenue-driving asset.
Meanwhile, on the global stage, Billie Eilish set a new Spotify record as her song “Birds of a Feather” surpassed 3.37 billion streams, overtaking Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey” to become the most-streamed solo song by a female artiste in Spotify’s history.
Wizkid’s 10-billion-stream milestone signals a pivotal moment for African music, illustrating that the continent’s artists are not only achieving cultural resonance but also sustainable commercial impact in the global streaming economy.
