Topping Nigerian charts isn’t worth celebrating, don’t let Twitter polls deceive you – Burna Boy tells artists

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has urged fellow musicians to rethink their excitement over topping music charts in Nigeria, citing the country’s poor streaming revenue as a major concern.

In a post shared via his Instagram story on Tuesday, the ‘Last Last’ hitmaker revealed that artists only earn around $300 to $400 for one million streams in Nigeria. He contrasted this with streaming revenues from the UK, US, and Europe, where the same number of streams could fetch between £3,000–£4,000, $4,000, or €3,000–€4,000 respectively.

“Your song being number 1 on any streaming platform in Nigeria is not something to celebrate. Aim higher or do other businesses on the side. I type with love,” Burna Boy advised.

The African Giant further cautioned musicians against being deceived by online polls or the seemingly strong support from Nigerian social media users, particularly on platforms like Twitter (X). According to him, virtual validation rarely translates into real-life achievements such as sold-out concerts or global recognition.

“Dear artists, don’t let Twitter polls and ‘Naija social media fans’ deceive you. They won’t fill up any stadium for you in any part of the world,” he wrote in a previous post.

Burna Boy’s comments come amid ongoing debates about the sustainability of streaming as a primary source of income for Nigerian musicians and the need for greater global reach and business diversification within the entertainment industry.