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Nigerian Music in the 2020s

Key events, landmark releases and cultural milestones that shaped Nigerian music from 2020 to 2029.

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Key Moments

2021

Burna Boy wins Nigeria's first Grammy — and dedicates it to Fela

At the 63rd Grammy Awards, Burna Boy won Best Global Music Album for Twice as Tall. In his acceptance speech, he referenced Fela Kuti directly — acknowledging that the artists who crawled through censorship, poverty, and military repression made his Grammy possible.

2022

Asake's Fuji-Amapiano fusion takes Lagos — proving street roots still win

Asake — signed to Olamide's YBNL — released Mr Money With the Vibe, blending Yoruba Fuji percussion with South African Amapiano. His debut at #66 on Billboard 200 showed that music rooted in Yoruba street culture could still make the global charts.

2023

Rema's 'Calm Down' spends a record 57 weeks on Billboard Hot 100

'Calm Down' became the most-streamed Afrobeats song on Spotify with over a billion streams. Rema grew up in Benin City — not Lagos — and his success expanded the geography of who could define Nigerian music.

2024

The archive grows: Afrobeats cements its place as a permanent pillar of global pop

By 2024, Nigerian artists appear regularly at global festival headliner slots, major awards shortlists, and mainstream playlists worldwide. The story from Ajegunle to the Grammy stage, from Fela's burnt commune to Billboard's Hot 100, is now complete enough to be told — but never finished.

Nigerian Music in the 2020s

Key Moments

Notable Releases (2020–2029)

Archive Articles

Remininse Interview

What is Afrobeat Without Ajegunle?

Afrobeat's Journey to Global Recognition

Seyi Vibez: The New Voice of Street Pop

The Evolution of Nigerian Music Production