Audio streaming giant Spotify’s royalty payments to artists from South African and Nigeria, its two biggest African markets, spiked to around US$59-million (R1.1-billion) last year as performers rode a wave of growing interest in music from the continent.

The Swedish company paid out some $10-billion in royalties worldwide in 2024. And while Africa represents only a small part of its offering, interest in African artists has ballooned, buoyed in part by internationally recognised acts like South African singer Tyla and Nigeria’s Burna Boy.

Around 250 million user-created playlists now feature at least one Nigerian artist, and 220 million contain a South African, the company said on Thursday.

“What we’re seeing is an excellent evolution around more and more midtier or up-and-coming artists making a living,” said Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s MD for sub-Saharan Africa.

Nigerian artists received more than $38-million in royalties last year, more than double the 2023 figure. Royalties for South African performers reached $21 million (R400-million), up 54% year on year.

Much of that came from outside their home markets. Nigerian artists have seen a 49% increase in export growth over the past three years, while South Africa saw export growth of 104%.

Read: YouTube Premium price hike in South Africa

The number of Nigerian artists earning ₦10-million (R1.2-million), meanwhile, doubled year on year and has tripled since 2022. In South Africa, the number of those earning between R100 000 and R500 000 has doubled over the past three years. — Siyanda Mthethwa, (c) 2025 Reuters

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