Nigerian music star Wizkid has become the first African artist to surpass 14 million equivalent album units worldwide, according to newly released figures from Chartmasters.org. The milestone, calculated using CSPC (Consumption Sales Plus Streaming), reflects a combination of traditional album sales, digital downloads, and streaming activity.
The data places Wizkid at No. 27 among the world’s top R&B artists, edging past compatriot Burna Boy, who stands at 13.9 million units. The ranking underscores the growing global influence of Afrobeats and African music more broadly, as artists from the continent continue to break into mainstream international charts.
Central to Wizkid’s rise is his critically acclaimed album Made in Lagos, which has enjoyed sustained success since its release. The project produced several international hits, most notably “Essence,” featuring Tems, widely regarded as a defining Afrobeats crossover track. The song’s remix and chart performance helped introduce a broader global audience to the genre.
Chartmasters’ CSPC metric converts streaming into album units, with 1,500 audio streams counting as one unit. Using this formula, Wizkid’s catalogue has seen a significant boost, particularly in the streaming era. Over the past 18 months alone, his music has generated more than 3 billion streams on Spotify, highlighting the scale of his international reach.
Music analysts say the achievement reflects a shift in global listening habits. “Streaming has leveled the playing field, allowing artists outside traditional Western markets to compete globally,” one industry observer noted. “Wizkid’s numbers are not just a personal milestone, they represent a broader cultural moment.”
Fans and industry stakeholders across Africa have celebrated the development as a landmark for the continent’s music scene. Social media reactions described the feat as a breakthrough, reinforcing Afrobeats’ position as a dominant force in global pop culture.
Wizkid’s accomplishment comes amid a surge of international recognition for African artists, with increasing collaborations, festival appearances, and chart success abroad. As streaming platforms continue to expand access to global audiences, industry watchers expect more African acts to follow a similar trajectory.
For now, Wizkid’s latest milestone cements his status as one of Africa’s most commercially successful and globally influential artists, with the numbers suggesting his upward momentum is far from over.