11 Nigerian Artists Who Hit Major Career Milestones in 2025

Afrobeats has been on a steady rise for the better part of a decade, and 2025 continued this run as several stars hit major milestones that give Nigerian music more mileage on the global scene.

The industry-leading stars recorded feats that showcased their endless hunger and relentless desire to maintain tier status at the summit of the game. Rising stars also enjoyed a fantastic year that rocketed them from relative obscurity to stardom. 

From Grammy nods, albums crossing the billion streams mark, and historic certifications, 2025 came bearing gifts that several stars have grabbed with both hands.  

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Omah Lay earned a nod for his collaboration with Davido on ‘With You’, nominated in the Best African Music Performance category at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

On Instagram, he thanked fans but made it clear that awards aren’t his goal, and that his focus has always been creating music that connects. This Grammy nod is a major recognition of his growing global influence.

Asake’s debut album blends Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Fuji influences, creating hits like ‘Joha’, ‘Terminator’, and ‘Organise’.

Released in September 2022, the album spent a record 150 weeks in Nigeria’s Spotify Top 10, redefining what a Nigerian debut can do and proving that Asake’s momentum shows no sign of slowing.

Wizkid set another global milestone, surpassing 100 million Shazams in November 2025, following the release of his three-track project with DJ Tunez and DJ Maphorisa.

Meanwhile, ‘Made in Lagos’ became the first album to chart in Nigeria’s Apple Top 10 for six different years, cementing his status as one of Africa’s most-streamed and sought-after artists.

The Grammy-nominated star also became the first Nigerian artist to finish the year as the #1 artist on Apple Music Nigeria and Spotify Nigeria, while also having the NO. Album on both platforms. 

Tems’ ‘Born in the Wild’ became the first album by a Nigerian female artist to spend 70 weeks on the Billboard World Albums chart.

She also became the first Nigerian female artist to have a single sell over 10 million units in the US with ‘WAIT FOR U’, marking a historic moment for female Afrobeats artists globally.

Rema’s ‘Rave & Roses (Ultra)’ hit 3.1 billion streams on Spotify, the first African album to do so, and crossed 250 million streams on Boomplay. These milestones continue to show Rema’s international appeal and the global reach of his signature sound.

Fast-rising star Fido reaches a career milestone after his hit record ‘Joy Is Coming’ finished the year as the song of the year.

The anthem, which sends a message of hope, captivated listeners around the country and became the year’s defining song.

According to TurnTable Charts, the hit singer accumulated 87.2 million on-demand streams to become the most-streamed song in Nigeria in 2025 and 1.56 billion in radio reach, which is #4 on Radio.

‘Industry Machine’ scored 521.3K opening day streams on Spotify, the highest for a solo Nigerian rapper. The achievement shows ODUMODUBLVCK’s growing influence, especially with his break from conventional rap norms.

With ‘Rush’, Ayra Starr became the first African female artist to have two songs surpass 500 million streams on Spotify, marking her as one of the continent’s leading female voices.

FOLA’s ‘Catharsis’ recorded 10.66 million first-week streams on Spotify, setting a national record for a debut project. He also crossed 1 billion career streams, which is exceptional for a breakout year.

The album continues to showcase his blend of Yoruba identity, R&B, and emotionally charged storytelling.

‘CKay The First’ reached 1 billion Spotify streams, 5 years after its release. The milestone, which appeared to have always been a matter of when rather than if, is thanks to the success of his global massive hit record ‘Love Nwantiti’. 

‘Soweto’ became the duo’s first Gold-certified single in the US, a testament to Afrobeats’ global reach and the track’s viral impact on platforms like TikTok.

Mavo was named Billboard’s African Rookie of the Month (November), following a breakout year dominating charts with hits like ‘Money Constant’ and ‘Body’. He’s surpassed 100 million Spotify streams across all his credits, highlighting the power of strategic collaborations and rising-star momentum.

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In 2025, rising stars are carving paths that could reshape the industry, while established artists continue to push boundaries and expand globally. Tracking these breakthroughs offers a glimpse of what’s next, and what to expect come 2026