The top ten richest female musicians in Nigeria are Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Omawumi, Nneka, Chidimma Ekileh, Seyi Shay, Asa, Waje, Madrinna, and Simi. Their net worth ranges from $1.5 million to $9 million (700 million naira to 4.1 billion naira).
The Nigerian music industry is a massive economic force generating billions of dollars annually and although it is largely dominated by male musicians, we’ve no doubt seen female icons top the charts and become household names for many years. I mean, who doesn’t know Asa or Waje? And what is “music” in Nigeria without Tiwa Savage? Learn about these 10 richest female musicians in Nigeria.
Tiwa Savage is the Richest Female Musician in Nigeria
- Date of birth: 5 February 1980
- Age: 44 years old
- No. of Albums: 3
- Most Famous song: Kelekele Love, Somebody’s Son
- Net Worth: $9 million
- Other Sources of Income: Songwriting, Acting, Ambassadorial Deals
popularly and professionally known by her stage name “Tiwa Savage”, Tiwatope Savage Balogun tops our list of richest female musicians in Nigeria with a net worth of a whopping $9 million which is about ₦ 4 billion. Born on the 5th of February 1980 in Ikeja, Lagos State, Tiwa started off as backup vocals for American artists such as George Michael and Mary J. Blige until she got to sign a deal with Sony/ATV Music in 2009. The deal saw her writing songs for the likes of Babyface, Kat Deluna, Fantasia Barrino and Monica.
She is also known to have written Jaicko’s “Oh Yeah” which featured Snoop Dogg and Kat Deluna’s “Push Push” featuring Akon and David Guetta. Tiwa is also popular for her collaboration with Fantasia on the song “Collard Greens & Cornbread” which earned the American artist a Grammy nomination in 2010 when she established her own record label, “323 Entertainments” with her then-manager and husband “Tee Billz”.
In 2012, she joined Mavin Record after her manager cum husband decided to work together with Don Jazzy. She started to work on her debut studio album ‘Once Upon a Time’ which was launched in 2013 and featured artists like Sarkodie, Iceberg Slim, and General Pype. Her second album ‘R.E.D’ was released in December 2015 and it featured the likes of Don Jazzy, Olamide, 2face Idibia and Reekado Banks, among others.
Following the album’s success, it earned a nomination for ‘Best Album’ at the 2016 Nigerian entertainment awards. Today, Tiwa has grown to have three studio albums with her latest titled ‘Celia’ being released in 2020. She also has two EPs – Sugarcane and Water & Garri, which were released in 2017 and 2021 respectively.
She is, however, best known for hit songs, ‘Kele Kele Love’, Somebody’s Son (Ft Brandy), Stamina, Koroba, and even for her role in Spyro’s ‘Who’s Your Guy’ remix which topped the 4th most successful music video and garnered over 18 million YouTube views
As a singer and songwriter, Tiwa generates her primary income from record sales, show performance and online streaming. She is also an actress having appeared in a couple of films, including Colored Girls, the MTV series Sugar, and Funke Akindele‘s Jenifer’s Diary. Additional income for Tiwa Savage comes from brand endorsements for company brands like MTN, Twisco, Forte Oil, Maggi and, of course, a phone brand Tecno.
Yemi Alade
- Date of birth: 13th March 1989
- Age: 54years old
- No. of Albums: 5
- Most Famous Song: Johnny
- Net Worth: $6.5 million
- Other Sources of Income: Ambassadorial Deals, TV Shows, Clothing Lines, Jewelry Collection
Yemi Eberechi Alade who is best known by her stage name Yemi Alade is the second on our list of richest female musicians in Nigeria. The 54-year-old Afropop singer and songwriter began her music career in 2009 after winning that year’s Peak Talent Show. She began to attain more fame after releasing her first single “Johnny” in 2014.
Yemi Alade’s ‘Johnny,’ which tells the story of cheating and lying lovers on a fusion of high-life and afro-pop beat, became one of the biggest music in Nigeria, gaining over 150 million views on Youtube within a few weeks of its release. The song became her biggest single, topping several music charts in Nigeria. It also aided the success of her first studio album, King of Queens, released the same year
To promote her album and as well, earn a major income, Yemi toured several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa and as expected, King of Queens sold over 100,000 copies. March 25, 2016, saw Yemi Alade releasing her second album, Mama Afrika, and it contains a combination of Afropop, coupé-décalé, R&B, highlife, hip-hop, and pop. The album also featured various famous African artists and has hit tracks like “Do As I Do”, “Ferrari”, “Na Gode”, “Africa”, “Kom Kom”, etc.
About a year after, she released a new album titled Black Magic, featuring guest appearances from Falz and Olamide. In 2019 and 2020, she released two more albums – Woman of Steel, and Empress, respectively. However, the songs that contributed immensely to her financial growth and gained her international fame include Johnny, Shekere, Single and Searching, and Oh My Gosh.
Other contributors to her net worth are her brand endorsement deals with Globacom, Hollandia Yoghurt, Shell, and Close-Up. Also adding to her financial gain is her clothing line – The House of Tangerine, and jewelry collection, YAC. In 2017, she was one of the coaches in The Voice Nigeria showcasing Nigeria’s strongest undiscovered vocalists as they compete for an ultimate prize.
Omawumi
- Date of birth: 13 April 1982
- Age: 42 years old
- No. of Albums: 4
- Most Famous Song: Bottom Belle
- Net Worth: $3 million
- Other Sources of Income: Acting, Brand Endorsements
With a whopping net worth of $3 million, Omawumi Megbele makes it on the list of richest female musicians in Nigeria. The Itsekiri-born singer began her singing career in 2007 when she auditioned for Idol West Africa, a talent contest to find a recording artiste which aired on M-Net in 2007. Successfully reaching the 1st runner-up, Omawumi seized the golden opportunity to launch into the debt of her music career. Luckily, it paid off as she was able to release her debut single “In The Music” in September 2008.
While her debut single was gaining massive airplay across Nigeria, Omawumi was busy cooking her debut album which eventually came through in November 2009. Her debut album consists of tracks like “Chocolata” featuring Naeto C, “Serious Love Nwantinti” and “In The Music” which all gained massive public acclaim.
Today, the Bottom Belle crooner owns about five music albums with mind-blowing hit songs like “Play an Play”, “I no Sure”, “Me Ke”, “Hold Me Baby”, etc. Her music album includes Wonder Woman (2009), Lasso of Truth (2013), Timeless (2017), and Love Deep High Life (LDHL) (2021).
Aside from earning greatly from her music career, Omawunmi also makes reasonable income from her career as an actress which she kick-started in 2000 with a role on stage in that year’s edition of the V-Monologues. However, she made her screen debut in 2010 with the high-budget AMAA award-winning musical drama film, Inale.
She is also known for her role in Yvonne Nelson’s ‘House of Gold’, and for co-producing the film titled ‘She Is’, Alongside Waje. Omowumi served as a brand ambassador for many international brands, some of which include Globacom, Konga, and Malta Guinness. She also worked as a part of the campaign called Rise with the Energy of Africa.
Nneka Eguna
- Date of birth: 24 December 1980
- Age: 43 years old
- No. of Albums: 6
- Most Famous Song: “Heartbeat”
- Net Worth: $3 million
Though one of the oldest in the music industry, Nneka Lucia Egbuna is also one of the richest female musicians in Nigeria. She is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress best known for singing in English, Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin. Nneka first gained public attention in 2004 while performing as an opening act for dancehall reggae star, Sean Paul at Hamburg Stadtpark.
Thereafter, she decided to work on her own album but first, she released an EP, The Uncomfortable Truth which was no less a success. Following much acclaim, she released her debut album, Victim of Truth, across Europe, Nigeria and Japan. Her second album, No Longer at Ease, was released in February 2008. Today, she boasts of six successful music albums with two compilations, three EPs, and tons of hit singles which have helped her build meaningful income and fame to go with it.
Nneka makes her income from music tours. She performed on her first tour in April 2005, after the release of her debut EP, and she played shows in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. She also toured in France, Italy and Portugal for her second album. Her first concert tour of the United States saw her visiting places like New York City, Vienna (Washington DC), Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Nneka’s lyrics reflect much of her history, life in Nigeria and the time spent in Western Europe. Her songs stress the issues of capitalism, poverty, and war. Some of her most successful hits include “Shining Star” and “Heartbeat” which garnered over 20 million YouTube views each and made it to some top music charts.
Chidinma Ekileh
- Date of birth: 2 May 1991
- Age: 32years old
- No. of Albums: 1
- Most Famous Song: Kedikeh
- Net Worth: $2.8 million
- Other Sources of Income: Acting, Endorsements
With her impressive net worth of $2.8 million, Chidinma gets herself enlisted as one of the richest female musicians in Nigeria. The 32-year-old Nigerian Songstress, songwriter and stage performer gained prominence after winning the third season of Project Fame West Africa.
Chidinma started singing at the tender age of six, yet, while growing up, music was not a career path she was willing to follow. However, with the convincing powers of her loved ones, she decides to give it a try and today, she is listed among the richest female singers in Nigeria. Chidinma is arguably one of the youngest females in the music arena of Nigeria.
Of course, her first root stems from the music talent reality TV show which saw her go home with a deal, a fortune and a car. Her next big financial break followed the release of her “Emi Ni Baller” music video which helped her become the first female musician to peak at number 1 on the MTV Base Official Naija Top 10 chart.
2011 Chidinma birthed her debut and only album called “Chidinma”. It contains sensational singles like “Jankoliko” and “Kedike,” a track title that also became her byname “Miss kedike”. Her song “Emi Ni Baller” which was produced by Legendury Beatz, peaked at number 7 on Vanguard‘s list of the Top 10 songs that made 2013
After an awkward disappearance in the music industry, she resurfaced in 2013 with the singles “bless my hustle” featuring Phyno and “oh baby” featuring Flavour. She also released other singles like “Kite” and “Jolly” which equally received positive ratings. Like every other musician, Chidinma made huge income from album sales and streaming platforms.
As a celebrated artist, Chidinma makes additional income from endorsement deals she signed with companies like MTN and Molped. She made her acting debut in Kunle Afolayan’s 2017 film The Bridge, playing the role of Stella, an Igbo lady whose personal relationship is threatened by tribal prejudice and parental plans. She was one of the supporting acts on the 2013 Hennessy Artistry Club Tour headlined by D’banj.
Chidinma has won several awards but the KORA awards still remain her biggest achievement. She won “The Best Female West African Act” category at the KORA awards held in ivory coast in 2012.
Seyi Shay
- Date of birth: 21 December 1985
- Age: 38years old
- No. of Albums: 3
- Most Famous Song: Yolo Yolo
- Net Worth: $2.1 million
- Other Sources of Income: Acting, Brand Endorsement Deals
Seyi Shay’s jaw-dropping net worth is a product of her hard work and dedication to her musical career which she began at an early age. Born into a music family, Seyi Shay picked up an interest in music and was a choir member since the age of six.
In 2006, she landed a record deal with a record label, No Apology, and was also part of a UK-based girl band called Boadicea. While with the record label, she partook in the British Pop/RnB Girl Band “From Above” and emerged as the lead vocalist for the group.
She, however, began to make meaningful income for herself after meeting the late Sound Sultan who advised her to move back to Nigeria, and since her return, she has remained a dominating force in the entertainment industry. She has worked with the likes of Wizkid, Timaya, Vector, Olamide, Yemi Alade and a host of others.
Under Cecil Hammond’s record label, Fly Time Music, Seyi Shay launched her solo career in Nigeria and promotes her brand. She produced her singles “Loving your way” and “No le le,” which became hit songs and brought her into stardom. She made hit after hit, including singles like “Irawo” and “Chante” which further boosted her musical career.
The superstar’s debut album, “Seyi or Shay”, was released in 2015 while her second studio album titled “Electric Package” followed in 2018. Her talent has also taken her to several cities in many countries where she amazed the audience with her wonderful voice. Seyi also did a bit of acting as well. She appeared as Lara Giwa in the 2018 movie Lara and the Beat
Shay’s musical career is the major source of her growing income with songs like “Yolo Yolo garnering over one million YouTube views which in turn, translates to thousands of dollars. Aside from music, she also makes meaningful income from brand endorsement deals with companies brands like Pepsi, 9mobile, and Barcadi freezer.
ASA
- Date of birth: 17 September 1982
- Age: 41 years old
- No. of Albums: 3
- Most Famous Song: “Eye Adaba,” and “Jailer”
- Net Worth: $ 2 million
- Other Sources of Income: Endorsements
Bukola Elemide, popularly known as ASA, is a Nigerian-French vocalist and one of the best artists in Nigeria, thanks to her music style that mostly contains pop, indie pop and afro beats. Asa has long been a lover of great music and she drew her inspiration from the collection of her father’s playlist.
Asa’s music career gained momentum after her encounter with q1Cobhams Asuquo, who became the producer of her first studio album Asa (Asha). She, however, rose to fame after releasing her back-to-back hits songs with the likes of “Eye Adaba,” and “Jailer”, to mention a few.
Asa’s album (Asha) went far across Europe, Asia, and Africa. She also went on to win the prestigious French Constantin Award in 2008 when she was voted as Best Fresh Talent of 10 singers or groups by a jury of 19 music-industry specialists in Paris.
Her second album, Beautiful Imperfection, was released on the 25th of October 2010. She collaborated with French composer, Nicolas Mollard and it went platinum in 2011. By 2014, she had sold up to 400,000 albums worldwide. Again in 2022, she released another album, “V” where she featured Wizkid, Cavemen and Amaarae.
Her plenty of great hit songs not only got her a major income but also offered a good stance to sign endorsement deals worth numerous Naira with GTBank after recording the main tune for them. Her music and endorsements are no doubt good sources of the $2 million net worth she currently enjoys
Waje
- Date of birth: 1 September 1980
- Age: 43 years old
- No. of Albums: 3
- Most Famous Song: One Naira
- Net Worth: $1.7 million
- Other Sources of Income: Acting, Entrepreneur
The Ondo State-born singer Aituaje Aina Vivian Ebele Iruobe, popularly known as Waje, started singing in church but she officially began her singing career in 2007 while at the University. She did lots of free shows and gigs until she gained her first rise to prominence featuring on the remake of P-Square’s “Omoge Mi”.
More so, her appearance in P-Square’s hit track titled “Do Me” gained her further rise to prominence, particularly across Africa and some parts of Europe. While working on her career, Waje also featured in a good number of hit songs by famous artists like Tiwa Savage and Dencia.
She became more famous after working with M.I. to produce a song titled “One Naira”. In 2013, she released her self-titled debut studio album Words Aren’t Just Enough (W.A.J.E). She also released Red Velvet and Heart Season (EP) in 2018 and 2021, respectively. her latest album WAJE 2.0 was released in 2022 and as expected it received wide positive ratings.
While music was initially a major share of Waje’s financial income before she quit in 2019, the Soul singer also makes additional income from show hosting, acting, brand endorsements and as a producer. One of the known shows she appeared in was The Voice Nigeria, where she was one of the judges alongside other Nigerian musicians, including 2face Idibia, Timi Dakolo and Patoranking.
Together with her friend and co-artist Omawumi, she launched Hermanes Media, a media company that specializes in film and TV production, adverts, content curation, brand event activation, and creative digital marketing. Waje debuted as an actress in 2014, appearing in the film Tunnel alongside Femi Jacobs, Patrick Doyle, and Nse Ikpe-Etim. She also played a role in the 2019 movie She Is.
Madrina
- Date of birth: 23 September 1991
- Age: 32years old
- Most Famous Song: Kuchi Kuchi,
- Net Worth: $1.5 million
- Other Sources of Income: Songwriting
Cynthia Ikponmwenosa Morgan popularly known as Cynthia Morgan, now Madrina, is a Nigerian singer, rapper and songwriter who has gone on to win herself lots of hearts through her musical talents. As a reward, she is recorded as one of the richest female musicians in Nigeria. Madrina began singing when she was 3 and was a backup singer for her mother’s music band at the young age of 14. But professionally, she debuted in 2008 with the release of her song ”Dutty Stepping” and gained immense fame when she was featured on Jhybo’s single ”Ejo le fe ro”.
So spectacular was the song that it went on to receive several awards. Some months before Ejo le fe ro” was released, she was known for her songs ”Don’t Break My Heart” and “Lead Me On” which earned her deserving fame and a financial balance. Her songs proved popular and reached the top positions on music charts. She won many awards for her amazing singles.
Madrina took a break from her music career in 2020 after she lost the right to use her stage name ”Cynthia Mrgan” due to her contract deal with Jude Okoye. Though not much of her have recently been seen, Madrina’s net worth has continued to grow thanks to her many singles that hit top chart boards.
These songs include German Juice, I’m Taken, Right Move, Ojoro, Popori, Asampo, High High High, Come and Do, One Blood, Simati Niya, Billion Dollar Woman, Jamo, GoGaga, Kuchi Kuchi, Dubai, Bubble Bup, Breaking Bonds, Olowo, Konti Hobi, Bang Bang and Twerk It. She has also won notable awards, including South-South Music Awards, Nigeria Entertainment Awards, and ELOY Awards.
Simi
- Date of birth: 19 April 1988
- Age: 36years old
- No. of Albums: 4
- Most Famous Song: “Joromi”, “Jamb Question”
- Net Worth: $1.5 million
- Other Sources of Income: Songwriting, Clothing Line
Simi began her professional music career as a gospel artist but years later she opted for secular songs and became famous following the release of her first debut studio album titled “Ogaju” in 2008. Her album which contained songs like “Iya Temi” and “Ara Ile” helped her gain meaningful balance in the music market.
January 2014 saw Simi releasing a five-track EP, Restless, which helped her land a record deal with X3M Music. Rihanna’s “Man Down” and Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” are two of the EP’s well-known covers. Also included in her most successful tracks are “Tiff” and “E No Go Funny” which were released on January 9th. Both tracks were well-accepted by the music industry and garnered favourable reviews from reviewers.
Simi’s second studio album, Simisola, was released on September 8, 2017, and her third, Omo Charlie Champagne, Vol. 1 was released two years after. Her latest album, To Be Honest, was released in 2022 and it performed excellently in the music market. With over 20 songs to her name, Simisola has practically done it all from cult classics like “Jamb Question” with over 7 million views on YouTube to national hits like “Joromi”, “Ayo”, and “Smile for Me” with 17 million, 13 million, and 10 million views, respectively.
Aside from winning over 13 awards and making huge incomes from record sales, YouTube views and online streaming, Simi built her net worth from her career as a songwriter and a sound engineer. She is credited with mixing and mastering Adekunle Gold’s debut studio album, Gold, which was released in July 2016. No wonder why she is one of the richest female musicians in Nigeria currently. She also has a record label, ‘Studio Brat”, and a clothing line BLC (Big Little Company) from where she makes additional income.
The Top 10 Richest Female Musicians in Nigeria are:
- Tiwa Savage – $9 million
- Yemi Alade – $6.5 million.
- Omawumi – $3 million
- Nneka – $3 million
- Chidinma – $2.8 million –
- Seyi Shay – $2.1 million
- ASA – Net worth $2 million
- Waje – $1.7 million
- Madrina – Net Worth $1.5 million
- Simi – $ 1.5 million