YouTube, the global video-sharing platform where users watch and upload diverse content ranging from vlogs to tutorials, has released its 2025 Nigeria rankings.
In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, signed by Addy Awofisayo, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, the platform revealed that actress and scriptwriter Omoni Oboli and gospel singer-songwriter Akinade “Gaise Baba” Ibuoye were its top artistes of the year.
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Gaise Baba’s “No Turning Back II”, featuring Lawrence Oyor, emerged as the most-watched video on the platform in 2025.
The music video became a defining soundtrack of the year, amassing over 41 million views within six months of its release on 16 May. It also garnered 396,000 likes and more than 22,000 comments.
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Following closely, Afrobeats singer Crown “Shallipopi” Uzama’s “Laho Official Video” ranked second, Davido’s “With You Official Video,” featuring Omah Lay, ranked third. Olamide, Seyi Vibez, Asake, and Young John’s “99 Official Video,” featuring Daecolm, took fourth place.
Other top-ranking videos included Asake’s “Why Love Official Video” (fifth), Rema’s “Baby Is It a Crime Official Video” (sixth), Chella’s “My Darling Official Visualiser” (seventh), Wizkid’s “Kese (Dance) Official Video” (eighth), Shallipopi featuring Burna Boy’s “Laho II Official Video” (ninth), and Davido’s “With You Featuring Omah Lay Visualizer” (tenth).
Top creators
On the creators’ front, Omoni Oboli’s channel, “Omoni Oboli TV”, topped the list, followed by actor Ibrahim Yekini’s “Itelediconstudio” and film producer Uchenna Mbunabo’s “Uchenna Mbunabo TV.”
Other ranked channels includes filmmaker Aminu “Aminu Saira” Ahmad’s “Saira Movies” (fourth), actor Maurice Sam’s “Maurice Sam TV” (fifth), filmmaker Ruth Kadiri’s “RuthKadiri247” (sixth), actress and producer Uche Montana’s “Uche Montana TV” (eighth), actress Sonia Uche’s “Sonia Uche TV” (ninth), and skit maker Chukwuebuka “Brain Jotter” Amuzie’s “Brain Jotter” (tenth).
Mr Awofisayo highlighted that these creators are not merely producing videos but building communities and shaping the future of entertainment in Nigeria.
He also revealed that the number of Nigerian channels earning over N1,000,000 annually has grown by 35 per cent year-on-year.
“Nigerian content is reaching audiences farther than ever,” he said.
“Over 70 per cent of watch time on content produced by Nigerian channels now comes from viewers outside the country. Television screens have become the new frontier, with watch time on YouTube content via TVs in Nigeria growing nearly 40 per cent in 2025.
“YouTube’s success in Nigeria is rooted in years of investment in capacity building. We remain committed to equipping creators with the skills to build sustainable media businesses through initiatives such as extensive creator masterclasses, tailored workshops on monetisation policies, and strategic partnerships with local creative industry bodies.”
He further noted that Nigeria’s creative energy is undeniable, with this year’s rankings demonstrating that the nation’s artists and storytellers are producing content with global appeal.
“From chart-topping music to must-watch Nollywood dramas, we’re proud that YouTube is the platform where this talent can shine. With the new YouTube Recap feature, we’re thrilled to offer users a fun, personalised way to celebrate the videos that made their year special.”
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YouTube Recap
The platform also unveiled a new feature, “YouTube Recap”, which allows users to relive their year in video, providing shareable statistics and assigning fun personality types based on individual viewing habits.
The platform stated that the feature provides a playful, shareable snapshot of users’ video consumption throughout the year.
“Your year, made by you, while these lists show what Nigeria watched together, we know that every person’s YouTube journey is unique. That’s why we’re thrilled to launch YouTube Recap, our most personalised year-end recap ever. Ever wondered what your top-watched channel was? Or what topics did you explore the most? YouTube Recap has the answers. It also introduces a brand-new “Personality Type” card, which analyses your viewing patterns to assign you one of 14 fun personas, such as the “Sunshiner” or the “Adventurer.”
“Are you a top fan? The recap will let you know if you’re in the top 25% of viewers for one of your favourite creators. To find your YouTube Recap, open the YouTube app and look for the recap banner on your homepage.”
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