The number of paying subscribers on YouTube surpassed 100 million in 2023, the firm has disclosed.
These subscribers include those on YouTube Music, Premium, and Trial worldwide. The subscription figure marks a 20 million increase from what the company announced in November 2022.
Adam Smith, Vice President of Product Management at YouTube, also noted that YouTube Music and Premium are now available in over 100 countries and regions.
Smith stated that the appetite for a YouTube experience that benefited not only the users but also the creator and artist community led to the creation of its new app, YouTube Music.
“This offering was designed for music lovers and YouTube fans who wanted more choice in how they spent time on YouTube, allowing them to enjoy YouTube without interruptions, background play, and downloads, and a full music service with the world’s largest catalogue,” he declared.
YouTube Music has helped spur local engagement, especially in the Afrobeats scene. Speaking on the importance of local engagement, Addy Awofisayo, Head of Music for Africa at YouTube, said, “The success of YouTube Music and Premium extends deeply into Nigeria, where music and content creators have found a global stage for their talent.”
She explained that the platform has not only facilitated unparalleled access to a world of music and content but has also played a pivotal role in the growth of the Nigerian music industry by providing artists with valuable exposure and revenue streams.
In 2022, the firm disclosed that the number of Nigerians making seven figures and above in naira revenue on its platform rose by 60 percent year-on-year. According to VidIQ, which measures analytics on YouTube platforms, MarkAngelComedy is the highest Nigerian YouTube channel with 9.03 million subscribers, while Rema, Afrobeats star has 3.98 million subscribers followed closely by fellow Afrobeats star Ckay with 3.93 million.
