It is Friday night in New York, where a DJ spins Burna Boy in the club. Across the world in Tokyo, a Netflix viewer binge-watches Shanty Town, while in Paris, a group of friends debate who makes better jollof. Spoiler alert: it’s Nigeria.
Afrobeats has been seen on different world stages – from the Grammys to the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
This is not ‘just a coincidence’. This is soft power at play. In a world that once dismissed Africa as a place in active backwardness, Nigeria is rewriting its global script with rhythm and sheer cultural audacity from the continent.
From Dusty Studios to Global Streams
In 2023, Afrobeats racked up 13 billion global streams on Spotify, earning Nigerian artists an estimated ₦25 billion in royalties. What began as a sound forged in the neighborhoods of Lagos, now echoes in stadiums, clubs, and headphones worldwide.
Between 2017 and 2023, Spotify reports a staggering 550% growth in Afrobeats streams. This is not just popularity, but a display of power. It is an economic engine that uses beats to influence .
Meanwhile, Nollywood, the scrappy, soul-filled cinema movement once mocked for shaky cameras and low budgets, not to mention predictable storyline , is now the second-largest film industry by volume and third by revenue globally. With millions of dollars flowing in from Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube, Nigeria’s storytellers are exporting culture, not just content.
TikTok Trends Redefining Africa
Moreover, thanks to TikTok, Nigerian dance challenges have gone viral. From Amapiano in South Africa to Highlife and Afropop, African music is now a cultural export, not a hidden gem. In addition to streaming our music, foreigners, are learning our dances, craving our food, and flying into Africa to live the vibe.
Is this a fluke , you would ask , but no ! It is a strategy. It is Africa telling its own story before someone else writes it in the past tense.
But we must ask: who owns the microphone? Who owns the camera? because without control over our platforms, our culture becomes a commodity others profit from, not a legacy we define.
The conversation of having African-owned platforms to control the continent’s image need to be held and eventually executed as this is more than entertainment .Nollywood and Afrobeats are not just feel-good exports, they are counter-narratives to centuries of misrepresentation.
For too long, Africa has been the face of poverty, conflict, and disease. But through the power of a good story and music, it can project power, joy, resilience, and diversity.
This soft power can spark hard influence, albeit only if we are brave enough to wield it.
We are not just talking about global fame. We are talking about economic empowerment, youth employment, tourism development, and yes, political relevance. But this requires more than trending hashtags.
Africa’s Voice is Loud, But it Needs to be Sovereign.
Yes, from the markets of Enugu in Nigeria to the clubs of Berlin, the world is vibing to Africa’s rhythm. But we must decide, do we want to be performers on someone else’s stage, or architects of our own empire?
It is flattering to be celebrated on platforms that are not ours, but it is also important to have platforms to tell our stories unfiltered. The foreign media platform would visit the Cape Coast slave castle and tell the story of the trans-atlantic slave trade more than an African.The same applies to the craft.
The desire to promote our talents, not just for profit or cultural recognition, can evolve into the political will needed to secure Africa a rightful seat at the global table.
But the question remains – are we ready as a country?