From chart-topping anthems to sold-out concerts and viral moments, the Nigerian entertainment scene has been nothing short of electric this year. As entertainers pushed creative boundaries and commanded global attention, TOFARATI IGE and FAITH AJAYI spotlight the standout stars who defined 2025 across the music, movie and social media spheres
Davido
David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido’s influence in 2025 was unmistakable. His fifth studio album, ‘5ive’, became one of the most streamed Nigerian projects of the year, with over 320 million streams on Spotify alone, overtaking major contemporaries and confirming his enduring commercial clout. The project debuted with a record-breaking opening day, having about 15 million global Spotify streams within 24 hours of its release.
One of the songs on the album, ‘With You’ (featuring Omah Lay) was crowned Nigeria’s most-streamed song of 2025 on Spotify, permeating playlists, social media challenges, and radio rotation nationwide. Indeed, 2025 reaffirmed his role as one of Afrobeats’ most culturally resonant figures and a crowd-pulling live performer.
Asake
Asake’s impact in 2025 was both deep and sustained. He placed consistently among the most streamed artistes on Nigerian Spotify and secured multiple albums inside the platform’s Top 10; an uncommon feat for any artiste.
His fusion of afrobeats with amapiano and street sensibilities kept his catalog in heavy rotation all year, and his live shows and festival appearances further reflected his status as one of the most compelling performers of the decade.
His performance at the Red Bull Symphonic in New York, United States, was also historic as he was the first African to grace that stage. Accompanied by a 33-man orchestra, he performed songs such as ‘Peace Be Unto You’, ‘Sungba’ and ‘Lonely at the Top’.
Wizkid
Popular singer, Ayodeji Balogun, aka Wizkid, reclaimed the top spot as Nigeria’s most-streamed artiste on Spotify in 2025, topping the platform’s Spotify Wrapped list for the country. His album ‘Morayo’ was named the most-streamed album of the year in Nigeria, reinforcing his legacy as a chart-topping force.
Wizkid’s dominance extended beyond local borders. His album was also cited as among the most-streamed in Sub-Saharan Africa on Apple Music’s year-end chart. This achievement was underpinned by his consistent output, rich collaborations, and strategic positioning, showing how his music continues to resonate across generations. This year, he collaborated with artistes such as Olamide, DJ Maphorisa, Tyla, Ayra Starr and Young John.
Burna Boy
Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, continued to cement his heavyweight status in 2025. His album ‘No Sign of Weakness’ surpassed 250 million streams on Spotify, making it one of the year’s top-performing Nigerian releases.
Though not topping domestic streaming charts, Burna Boy was highlighted as Nigeria’s most-exported artiste globally, reflecting his strong international appeal and wide Diaspora reach. As a Grammy-winning figure and global ambassador of afrobeats, his tours, festival appearances, and cross-continental collaborations kept him at the frontlines of African music.
Fola
Folarin Odunlami, aka Fola, was one of the breakout stars of 2025, injecting fresh energy into the industry. His album ‘Catharsis’ performed impressively enough to land inside Spotify’s top Nigerian album charts, amassing tens of millions of streams and signaling a rising trajectory.
Singles like ‘Lost’ (featuring Kizz Daniel) also became streaming staples, firmly placing the singer on both local and global radars; a rare achievement for emerging voices in a year dominated by established names.
Rema
Divine Ikubor, aka Rema, began 2025 with strong momentum, dominating global consumption metrics early in the year. According to streaming data, he was the most streamed Nigerian artiste globally on YouTube Music in the first quarter of this year, with over 220 million streams, led by enduring hits such as ‘Calm Down’ and new releases like ‘Baby (Is It a Crime)’.
Throughout the year, his blend of afrobeats and global pop sensibilities kept him visible on international charts and playlists, reinforcing the crossover appeal that has defined his career since breakout days.
Ayra Starr
Ayra Starr solidified her position as the most-streamed female artiste in Nigeria in 2025 according to Spotify’s Wrapped data. Her blend of afrobeats, RnB, and soulful pop continued to resonate widely, and her 2025 singles, such as ‘Hot Body’, ‘All the Love’, and ‘Who’s Dat Girl’ (featuring Rema) enjoyed heavy rotation both domestically and abroad.
Her ability to consistently chart, collaborate across genres, and command strong digital performance made her one of the most influential young voices of the year.
Gaise Baba
In an unexpected twist to the Nigerian music narrative, gospel artiste, Akinade Ibuoye, aka Gaise Baba achieved mainstream digital dominance with his viral anthem, ‘No Turning Back II’. The track became Nigeria’s most-viewed music video on YouTube in 2025, accumulating over 41 million views, evidencing the breadth of Nigeria’s music audience and the rising convergence of faith and culture.
His breakthrough highlighted how gospel music can compete with mainstream afrobeats for attention in the digital age, transcending traditional audience boundaries.
Adekunle Gold
Adekunle Gold enjoyed a steady and impactful 2025. While not always at the very top of year-end streaming tallies, his projects and collaborations earned deep listener loyalty. Known for blending Afro-fusion with soul and folk influences, Adekunle Gold’s music continued to be featured on key playlists and curated lists throughout the year, adding depth and versatility to Nigeria’s musical export.
His latest album ‘Fuji’ was released to rave reviews, and drove social media trends across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. His performance with an orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall in London, United Kingdom, was also well received by guests present, and fans who watched on social media.
Nathaniel Bassey
Gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey, had a remarkable 2025. He ranked among the most-streamed Nigerian artistes on YouTube Music during the first quarter of 2025, with over 52 million streams, led by worship favourites that doubled as digital hits.
His success demonstrated the growing digital appetite for spiritually-driven content in a year that saw gospel music compete directly with secular genres on mainstream platforms.
Tems
Temilade Openiyi, aka Tems, continued to extend her global footprint in 2025. In February, she was globally celebrated for winning the Grammy Award for Best Music Performance with her song, ‘Love Me Jeje’.
While not topping local streaming charts, she remained one of the most-streamed female artistes in Nigeria and a consistent presence in global playlists.
Her international collaborations and Grammy-recognised profile helped keep Nigerian artistry at the forefront of global RnB and afrobeats fusion sounds.
Seyi Vibez
In 2025, Oluwaloseyi Balogun, aka Seyi Vibez, ranked among the top streamed Nigerian artistes on Spotify, placing in the top three in national Wrapped lists behind Wizkid and Asake.
His raw, melodic blend of street narratives and afrobeats grooves connected strongly with younger listeners, making him one of the year’s defining voices in street-pop and mainstream conversation.
Funke Akindele
In 2025, Funke Akindele remained Nollywood’s most bankable creative force. Rising from her breakout role as “Jenifa”, Akindele has built a career on understanding the Nigerian audience better than most of her peers.
This year, she consolidated her dominance with the movie, ‘Behind the Scenes’, which was released in December 2025. The movie, which explored industry pressures and “black tax”, is already a massive opener with over N200m in its first weekend, making it the biggest opening of 2025 in Nollywood.
Beyond acting, her influence showed in how her movies shaped conversations around women, class mobility, marriage, and modern Nigerian family life. She trended repeatedly across social media during release windows, with memes, soundbites, and promotional content.
Timini Egbuson
In 2025, Timini Egbuson appeared in multiple cinema and streaming releases, oscillating between romantic leads, troubled anti-hero, and ensemble roles. Whether in romantic dramas or youth-centric stories, his performances consistently sparked debate and admiration.
In February, he also released his own movie, ‘Reel Love’, on Valentine’s Day. It marked his debut as an executive producer, while also starring as the lead.
It achieved record-breaking box office success, grossing over N40m on its opening day, making it the second-highest Nollywood debut ever, and over N99m across the opening weekend. The film eventually surpassed N300m.
