The influx of Nigerians in diaspora and tourists into the country has sparked a surge in the local and global streaming of Nigerian music.
Detty December is Nigeria’s annual homecoming season, where Nigerians from all around the globe and tourists come to partake in the festivities and culture that shape the festive season.

This influx of people into the country has led to a spike in both the local and global streaming of Nigerian music. According to data provided by Spotify, the music concerts, countless events, and merriments have heated up the consumption of Nigerian music.

Tracking the Spotify data from 2024, between 1 December 2024 and 5 January 2025, there was a 55% surge in local streaming and a 15% increase globally, compared to average daily consumption across the rest of the year (1 January to 14 November 2024).

The data reflects how end-of-year travel, reunions, and live events translate into digital listening momentum.

The spike is not confined to December alone. In the first two weeks of November 2025 (1 to 14 November), Nigerian tracks already showed a lift versus the January to October 2025 daily average: +23% locally and +12% globally. The early rise signals anticipation-led listening, as fans begin building soundtracks, revisiting favourites, and preparing for the month ahead.

While Lagos remains a key centre of gravity for Detty December, the season has become increasingly regional and global.

Spotify data highlights Accra among the biggest contributors to the uplift, reinforcing Ghana’s role in the Detty December story, alongside additional hubs including Nairobi, Kampala, New York, and Nuremberg.

The pattern reflects a broader reality: when West Africans move, returning, visiting, or linking up across cities, the music moves with them.

When Barack Obama hits ‘post’ on his annual Favourite Songs list, he isn’t just sharing a playlist. The former U.S President is issuing a State-of-the-Union address on the current landscape of global music. It’s a curated tradition that carries a lot of cultural weight. For the class of 2025, the verdict is clear: Afrobeats is no longer a guest at the table; it is setting the menu.

The 44th President’s 2025 list, released via his verified social media channels this week, serves as a definitive nod to the sheer versatility of Africa’s biggest musical export. This year, Obama’s affinity for Nigerian music feels more personal than ever, largely due to his deep dive into the roots of the sound. Earlier this year, the former President’s media company, Higher Ground, in collaboration with Audible, released the landmark 12-part documentary podcast series, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man. Hosted by Jad Abumrad, the series features Obama not just as an executive producer, but as an active interviewee, reflecting on the “musical genius” of the Afrobeat pioneer.

In the series, Obama draws direct parallels between Fela’s bold expression and the poAt the summit of this year’s selection sits “TATATA,” the collaboration between Burna Boy and Travis Scott, off his Grammy-nominated album No Sign of Weakness. It’s a track that fuses the African Giant’s rhythmic ethos with Travis’ psychedelic Houston trap.

However, the real talking point of the list is the inclusion of “99”. “99” is a star-studded Afrobeats single released by Nigerian hip-hop legend Olamide, as a lead track from his self-titled eleventh studio album, Olamidé. Produced by Yung Willis, the song features a sensational collaboration with Asake, Seyi Vibez, Young Jonn, and British-Nigerian singer Daecolm. The song was an immediate commercial success, reaching number one on both Apple Music and Spotify Nigeria shortly after its release.

The inclusion of the song on Obama’s list, means the former president is looking far beyond the gloss of Western-facing pop and straight into the “Street-Pop” movement that is currently defining the continent.

Adding a layer of intellectual cool to the list is London-based Nigerian singer Obongjayar’s “Not In Surrender.” Obongjayar has long been the “artist’s artist,” a purveyor of genre-bending compositions that’s sometimes difficult to categorise. His presence here provides the list with its soul and confirms that the Nigerian diaspora in London continues to push the boundaries of what African music can sound like. We remember the 2019 list, where a young Rema first broke through with “Iron Man,” a moment that many cite as the official starting gun for the Mavin prodigy’s international ascent. In 2020 and 2021, the “Obama Bump” became a rite of passage for Wizkid and Tems, whose cultural phenomenon “Essence” famously occupied a permanent spot on the former President’s year-end playlist. The inclusion helped solidify “Essence” as a global crossover hit before it reached its peak on the Billboard charts in 2021 Earlier in 2020, Wizkid’s single “Smile” featuring H.E.R. was included in Obama’s summer playlist.

Burna Boy himself is a repeat offender, with “Last Last” making the cut in 2022, while Ayra Starr previously earned her stripes on the list with the infectious “Rush.” Even Pheelz and BNXN (Buju) have felt the glow of the 44th US president’s spotlight in years past.

Davido and Omah Lay’s smash hit single ‘With You’ led to Nigerians frequently using Google to search for the lyrics, eager to sing along to what is effectively the Song of the Year.

Released in April 2025 as part of Davido’s fifth album, ‘5ive,’ the song quickly became a fan favourite due to its stimulating melodies and catchy lyrics, especially Omah Lay’s verse, which has everyone straining to understand him.

This curiosity to learn the lyrics to the song that dominated the charts and speakers propelled it to the top of the Google search list. Not even Davido, Omah Lay, or ace producer Tempoe could have predicted the massive impact of their collaboration. Buried at the bottom of Davido’s fifth album, ‘5ive,’ the song almost didn’t cut, yet it turned out to be by far the biggest song on the album and the leading contender for Song of the Year.

How did this happen?

‘With You’ simply enjoyed the combination of factors that consistently help rocket songs to era-defining success.

A song is not automatically a hit just because it is good or meets the requirements of memorable lyrics and a catchy melody to score as an Afrobeats song. Consumers must willingly gravitate towards the song en masse and propel it to super-smash status.

This is the story of ‘With You.’ The classic easy-to-digest Afrobeats lyrics and sticky Highlife-inspired melodies, which borrow from the iconic Bright Chimezie classic ‘Because of English,’ combined to create an anthem that the people embraced.

Listeners handpicked the song as the single of choice, even though it was buried at the bottom of the album. The organic support and massive user-generated content created consumer-led marketing that propelled the song to smash-hit status.