Top 5 endorsement deals secured by Nigerian afrobeat artists

Nigerian Afrobeat artists have over the years, proven their worth to business entities by building a solid and active fanbase for themselves and attracting mouthwatering endorsement deals.

This is as the Afrobeat genre of music has fast become a global sound and one to reckon with in the global entertainment sphere. Specializing in the new genre has elevated several artists to the peak of their careers by earning them significant endorsements and ambassadorial contracts.

Just so you know, securing ambassadorial deals and endorsements is one of the major reasons almost everyone wants to be “famous.”

In this case, one might ask: would an endorsement deal not automatically make you famous?

But the truth is, you cannot attract significant endorsement deals without being famous. Popularity, followership, and influence are some of the basic criteria any brand would look out for before offering you an endorsement deal no matter how much of a celebrity you might think you are.

So if you do not possess any of the aforelisted criteria, it might be difficult to earn an endorsement deal (a major one) except you’re going to work on it. A lot of intentionality must be employed by the way.

Most brands, companies, organizations, and even government agencies seek popularity, followership, and patronage.

To achieve this, they look out for notable personalities and/or public figures to represent and influence their brands as a marketing strategy wherefore, the brand influencer, usually a celebrity, is paid to associate with the brand.

This helps to build trust and believability in the minds of potential customers. It, in turn, drives a lot of sales and loyalty for the brand.

This constitutes some of the reasons ideal endorsement contracts come with a life-changing sum of money to be paid to the celebrity or brand influencer.

Imagine being paid a hundred million naira just to have your picture on a product!

Now, this is where many Nigerian Afrobeat artists among other celebrities have an edge.

In our contemporary times where popularity is measured by the number of followers one has on their social media handles, many Nigerian Afrobeat artists have the upper hand because their social handles often have more than enough followers cum fans.

They have become indispensable to big brands who want to sell their products in the Nigerian market and beyond.

The evolution of Afrobeats at a very fast pace and the reception it has received globally contribute to this bragging rights.

However, in this article, I will be listing the Top 5 Endorsement Deals secured by Nigerian Afrobeat Artists in reverse chronological order. You should stay glued!

5. IYANYA ($350K)

Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, popularly known as Iyanya, is a singer, songwriter, recording artiste, stage performer, entertainer, and model who rose to fame in the Nigerian music scene when he won the very first season of MTN Project Fame West Africa in 2008. He is best known for the song “Kukere,” which popularized the Etighi dance from Calabar, Nigeria.

Iyanya, throughout his career, has bagged several endorsement deals including brand ambassador for Solo Phones Nigeria, a mobile phone company situated at Computer Village, Ikeja in 2013. The one-year deal was worth $220,000 or N35 million (as of that time) and a 2014 Toyota Prado Jeep.

In the same year, the singer bagged another One-year deal with Zinox Computers, Nigeria’s first certified branded computers which featured him on billboard and television adverts worth $350,000 or N55 million, converted with 2013 rates.

In 2016, Iyanya secured another endorsement deal by becoming a brand ambassador for Dunes Center, Abuja.

In 2014 however, the singer was accused of lying that he had bagged another endorsement deal with a tech company, Lenovo by posting a photo of him holding a Levono tablet and captioning the post: “New Product!!! New Ambassador!!! Brand Ambassador!!!! Lenovo!!!! Iyanya!!!! Task Direct 2014 Started #triplemg’.”

Iyanya’s Manager, Ubi Franklin allegedly confirmed the report saying ‘It’s true, it cost about N150 to N170 million and the duration is for 24 months.”

But findings by NET however claimed otherwise as the media organization reported that Lenovo’s rep in Nigeria, Mr Olumide said he was not aware of the deal.

4. BURNA BOY ($1M)

Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu professionally known as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the founder of Spaceship Records, a Nigerian-based record label to which Nigerian singer, Bnxn was signed.

Burnaboy rose to prominence in 2012 with the release of “Like to Party”, the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013).

Burna Boy like many other Afrobeat artists, has signed several endorsement deals that have significantly impacted his wealth.

In 2018, he signed his most significant endorsement deal with a leading global music publishing company, Universal Music Publishing Group worth $ 1 million. Before the agreement, Burnaboy was in 2016, revealed as the brand ambassador of Martell Cognac. He also signed an endorsement deal with telecommunication giant, Globacom but was later removed as an ambassador on grounds of bad public conduct.

In 2018 again, Burna Boy found himself signing another deal with Star Lager beer, one of the notable brewery brands which became a landmark for the company.

Damini Ogulu is the first Nigerian musician to land a brand ambassadorship deal with Star Lager Beer.

3. YEMI ALADE ($1M)

Signed to the Effyzzie Music Group, Yemi Eberechi Alade has signed several local and international endorsement deals with notable brands such as Shell, Globacom, Maybelline, Luc Belaire, Bacardi Breezer, and an International cosmetic company, NP Gandour amongst others.

Yemi Alade had in 2019, signed her biggest multi-year licensing deal worth over $1M with Universal Music Africa (UMA) and UMG France.

However, in 2021, the award-winning singer announced the signing of an endorsement deal with the popular brand Lush Hair.

2. WIZKID ($3M)

Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid is a Nigerian Afrobeat Singer and songwriter. He is currently one of the most prominent artists in the African continent and has signed very many endorsement deals, some of which their validity has expired.

As an A-list artist, no doubt, lots of companies and brands come after him for brand influencing.

Some of the singers’ business affiliations in context (over the years) include his endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2021 which was worth $350,000, a $115,000 worth of endorsement deal with MTN in 2013, a $328,000 worth of deal with GLO in 2015 and the singers’ endorsement deal with Guinness in 2013 amongst others.

WizKid’s biggest endorsement deal that has secured him second place in this comparative piece of the “top 5 endorsement deals secured by Nigerian afrobeat artists” was an endorsement the singer signed with the United Bank for Africa, UBA in 2019.

The deal was worth a whooping sum of $ 3 million and made Wizkid the face of one of Africa’s biggest commercial banks with operations in about 20 African countries in the continent and offices in three global financial centers.

1. DAVIDO ($5M)

Davido, the founder of Davido Music Worldwide, DMW a music label in Nigeria, is the number one Afrobeats artiste to have secured the biggest endorsement deal in history. Davido is currently a brand ambassador for several local and international brands including Munch it, Pepsi, Martell Blue Swift, Wema Bank, PUMA, and Travelbeta as well as Close Up, Guinness, and Mtn Pulse, all of which promise mouth waring financial gains for the Afrobeats star.

Recall that Davido is the most-followed celebrity on all social media platforms in the African continent with over 27 million followers on Instagram, 13 million on Twitter, and a community of over 8.3 million people on Facebook.

With these numbers and how well fans connect with his music, Davido wields a lot of global influence through his music which is fast encroaching on other parts of the world. With this as an advantage, the bigger brands tend to look for him.

Davido’s endorsement deal with Martel, a French cognac is reportedly worth 5 million dollars thereby elevating him to the number spot of the biggest endorsement deals secured by Nigerian Afrobeat artists.

Afrobeat artists have been in the limelight since their sound began to travel the globe and I don’t think they are willing to derail anytime soon.

While the hopes for more endorsement deals remain alive, it is worth noting that these deals with famous figures not only enrich the artists, celebrities, or influencers but also help to promote brands’ cultural diversity and their ability to service a particular continent or country.