Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Wizkid has reportedly become the first African artist to surpass 12 billion streams on Spotify across all credited appearances, setting another milestone for African music on the global streaming platform. The achievement was announced on October 26, 2026, by WizStatz, a music statistics account that tracks the singer’s streaming performance. According to The Guardian Nigeria, the figure includes streams from songs on which Wizkid appears as a lead or featured artist, covering his solo catalogue, collaborations and guest appearances. However, independent tracking platforms have yet to fully align on the total, with Kworb’s October 25 figures placing his cumulative streams at approximately 11.66 billion. The milestone should therefore be understood as a reported achievement rather than an officially confirmed Spotify record.
Wizkid’s international streaming success has been driven by a catalogue that spans Nigerian hits and collaborations with global music stars. His appearance alongside Drake and British singer Kyla on the 2016 hit One Dance remains a major contributor to his worldwide reach, while Essence, featuring Tems, became an international breakthrough following its 2021 remix with Justin Bieber. Other records, including Ojuelegba, Joro and Come Closer, have helped sustain his audience across different stages of his career. The reported 12 billion milestone follows earlier achievements in January and May 2026, when Wizkid was reported to have become the first African artist to reach 10 billion and 11 billion Spotify streams, respectively.
The achievement highlights the growing international consumption of Afrobeats and the commercial influence of streaming platforms in expanding African artists’ audiences beyond their home markets. For Wizkid, whose career has combined solo releases with high-profile international collaborations, cumulative streaming figures reflect the enduring appeal of his catalogue across multiple musical eras. The milestone also illustrates how global partnerships can extend the reach of African music, introducing artists to listeners through records that circulate across markets and genres. While differences between independent trackers underline the need for caution when interpreting streaming totals, the reported achievement reinforces Wizkid’s position among Nigeria’s most internationally recognised music exports and marks another significant moment for Afrobeats’ global expansion.
