O Spotify, a global online streaming platform, revealed that South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Angola are the five countries that consume the most podcasts in Africa.
Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify Podcast Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, revealed this fact in a statement released on Thursday, in celebration of International Podcast Day, which is celebrated annually on September 30th.
According to Manzi, the increase in podcast listening in Nigeria has been exponential over the last two years, increasing by 222 percent between 2021 and 2022. “This places Nigeria as the second most podcast-consuming country in Africa, right after to South Africa.
“Nigeria is followed by Kenya, Ghana and Angola. These five countries make up Spotify's top 5 African countries with the most podcast listeners. “September 30th is International Podcast Day and we have seen the podcast landscape continually evolve and gain traction in Nigeria.
“The demographic group at the forefront of this transformation is Generation Z (Gen Z). “With its accessibility and diversity of content, ranging from storytelling to information sharing and entertainment, podcasting has become a popular choice for Gen Z listeners.
Manzi stated that according to Spotify data, Nigerian Gen Z, aged between 18 and 24, constituted a sizeable segment of podcast listeners, representing 50 percent of total streams in the last 90 days.
According to him, the following are listeners aged between 25 and 29, who contribute 21% of the flows. According to him, in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, Generation Z also leads the audience rate, with 39% of total streams coming from them.
“Gen Z is revolutionizing the podcast landscape and their appetite for diverse content is shaping the future of audio entertainment in Nigeria. “We remain committed to elevating podcasting and amplifying the voices of podcasters in Nigeria and beyond.
On Nigerians' preferred times to listen to podcasts, Manzi noted that Spotify data shows that most listeners tune in to podcasts between 7am and 00am, possibly while commuting to work, sitting in traffic or preparing for the day.
According to him, Spotify made it easier for anyone to create and develop a podcast, through Spotify for Podcasters. “It’s a one-stop shop for uploading or recording content, adding interactive features like Q&A or polls, while tracking a program’s growth through advanced analytics.
“And for listeners, Spotify is always working to create new ways to make it easier to listen to, discover, and engage with your favorite podcasts, and is rolling out new tools, including auto-generated transcripts, expanding podcast chapters, and updating podcast program pages.
“As podcasting continues to evolve, staying aware of Gen Z’s preferences and behaviors will be crucial for all stakeholders in the podcasting ecosystem in Nigeria. “Especially because they lead with 50,9 percent of the country’s total population,” he said.
