Singer Johnny Drille Speaks On How Much Nigerian Artists Earn From Streams Compared To The UK (Video)
Nigerian singer and songwriter Johnny Drille has spoken out about how low streaming revenues in Nigeria negatively impact artists’ earnings.
Speaking about the challenges of being an artist, Johnny Drille explained that musicians in Africa — especially Nigeria — don’t make much from streams because of the low streaming value.
According to him, while 1 million streams from Nigeria may earn an artist around $300, the same number of streams from countries like the UK could bring in as much as $5,000.
He said: “For an artist, it can be quite challenging early on. Streaming from Africa is not the best in terms of numbers.
“I hear that if your 1 million streams are from Nigeria, it’s probably like $300. But the same 1 million streams from the UK, for example, could be about $5,000.”
Johnny Drille added that despite the struggle with streaming revenue, artists can make better money from live performances once their music starts gaining traction globally.
He encouraged upcoming artists to stay focused and committed, saying: “It might be tough early on, but if you believe this is your path, just keep pushing. At some point, it will happen for you.”…
“I hear that 1 million streams if your streams are coming from Nigeria is probably like $300, but the same 1 million streams from say the UK is probably like 5,000…”
– Johnny Drille pic.twitter.com/L7ZL9JlcMs
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) October 11, 2025