Spotify, the global streaming platform, has shown that Nigeria is Africa’s second-largest user of podcasts. Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify’s Podcast Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, made the news in honor of International Podcast Day.
According to Spotify data, podcast listenership in Nigeria has grown significantly in recent years, with a 222% increase between 2021 and 2022.
Nigeria is now the second-largest consumer of podcasts in Africa, trailing only South Africa, with Kenya, Ghana, and Angola rounding out the top five. This insight was offered in honor of International Podcast Day on September 30, highlighting Nigeria’s developing and expanding podcast scene, notably on platforms such as Spotify.
Manzi underscored Generation Z’s substantial role in this growing trend, citing Spotify data showing that Nigerians aged 18 to 24 account for a sizable share of the podcast audience, accounting for 50% of total streams in the previous 90 days. They are followed by listeners aged 25 to 29, who make up 21% of all streams.
Interestingly, this predilection for podcasts is not limited to Nigeria, as Generation Z leads in listenership across Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 39% of total streams. Manzi emphasized how important this group is in transforming the podcast scene in Nigeria, and how their diversified content tastes are dictating the country’s future path of audio entertainment.
Local podcasts, such as The HonestBunch Podcast, I Said What I Said, Menisms, So Nigerian, and Tea with Tay, are gaining prominence amongst Nigerian listeners, especially Generation Z and Millennials, owing to their relevant and engaging content focusing on prevailing topics and frank discussions.
In terms of the most popular podcast listening periods in Nigeria, Spotify’s data show a concentration of listeners between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., which coincides with commuting hours, traffic delays, or morning preparations.
Spotify has been at the vanguard of podcast development and consumption, providing extensive services for content creators and bringing innovative features to improve listener experience.
Understanding and catering to Generation Z’s interests and behaviors is critical for every institution participating in Nigeria’s podcasting industry as podcasts continue to gain popularity, especially considering this demographic’s significant representation in the country’s population.
Globally, Nigeria ranked second in podcast consumption on Spotify, trailing only Brazil, which was classified as one of the fastest growing podcast markets.
