Spotify, the global online streaming platform, has unveiled South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Angola as the top five countries embracing podcast consumption in Africa.
Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify’s Podcast Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, shared this information in a statement on Thursday in honor of International Podcast Day, observed annually on September 30th.
He revealed that the surge in podcast listenership in Nigeria has been remarkable over the past few years, experiencing a 222% increase between 2021 and 2022.
This ranks Nigeria as the second-highest consumer of podcasts in Africa, just behind South Africa.
Following Nigeria are Kenya, Ghana, and Angola. These five nations constitute the leading African countries for podcast enthusiasts.
International Podcast Day, celebrated on September 30th, has witnessed the podcasting landscape evolve and gain traction in Nigeria. The driving force behind this transformation is Generation Z (Gen Z).
Podcasting has gained immense popularity among Gen Z listeners due to its accessibility and diverse content, spanning storytelling, information sharing, and entertainment.
Manzi stated that according to Spotify’s data, Nigerian Gen Zs aged between 18 and 24 represent a significant portion of podcast listeners, contributing to 50% of total streams in the last 90 days.
Listeners aged 25 to 29 years follow closely, accounting for 21% of the streams.
In the Sub-Saharan Africa region, Gen Z also holds the highest listenership rate, with 39% of total streams attributed to them.
Gen Z is spearheading a revolution in the podcasting landscape, and their appetite for diverse content is shaping the future of audio entertainment in Nigeria.
“We are committed to elevating podcasting and amplifying the voices of podcasters in Nigeria and beyond,” Manzi affirmed.
The spotlight shines on The HonestBunch Podcast, I Said What I Said, Menisms, So Nigerian, and Tea with Tay as the top local podcasts that capture the hearts of Nigerian listeners.
Their prominent status comes as no surprise, given their widespread popularity among Gen Z and Millennials.
This popularity is attributed to their engaging and entertaining content, their keen awareness of trending subjects, and their unfiltered and candid conversations.
Regarding preferred podcast listening times among Nigerians, Manzi noted that Spotify data indicates most listeners tune in to podcasts from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., possibly while commuting to work, sitting in traffic, or preparing for the day.
Spotify has simplified podcast creation and growth for everyone through Spotify for Podcasters, offering a one-stop-shop to upload or record content and add interactive features like Q&A or polls, all while monitoring a show’s growth through advanced analytics.
For listeners, Spotify continually strives to make listening, discovery, and engagement with favorite podcasts more accessible, with new tools such as auto-generated transcripts, expanded podcast chapters, and updated podcast show pages.
As podcasting evolves, closely observing Gen Z’s preferences and behaviors will be crucial for all stakeholders in Nigeria’s podcasting ecosystem, especially considering that Gen Z comprises 50.9% of the country’s total population.