“From Gospel To Glory: Gaise Baba Outranks Wizkid On YouTube Nigeria 2025 Chart”

In a year dominated by Afrobeats, 2025 has delivered a surprise twist: gospel music has taken the spotlight on YouTube Nigeria. The streaming giant recently released its 2025 Nigeria rankings, highlighting the platforms, creators, and music videos that defined Nigerian viewing habits this year.

In a statement signed by Addy Awofisayo, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, and made available to press by Premium Times, YouTube named gospel singer Akinade “Gaise Baba” Ibuoye and actress Omoni Oboli as the standout artistes of 2025.

Gaise Baba Tops Music Charts

Gaise Baba’s “No Turning Back II,” featuring Lawrence Oyor, emerged as the most-watched YouTube music video in Nigeria this year. Released on 16 May, the video quickly became a national anthem, amassing over 41 million views in just six months, alongside 396,000 likes and 22,000+ comments.

This marks a historic moment: for the first time in recent memory, a gospel song has surpassed secular heavyweights such as Wizkid, Davido, and Rema to claim the top spot on Nigeria’s YouTube music chart.

Top 10 Most-Watched YouTube Music Videos in Nigeria (2025)

1. Gaise Baba – “No Turning Back II” ft. Lawrence Oyor: 41M+ views, 396K likes, 22K+ comments

2. Shallipopi – “Laho” (Official Video)

3. Davido – “With You” ft. Omah Lay (Official Video)

4. Olamide x Seyi Vibez x Asake x Young John – “99” ft. Daecolm

5. Asake – “Why Love” (Official Video)

6. Rema – “Baby Is It a Crime” (Official Video)

7. Chella – “My Darling” (Official Visualiser)

8. Wizkid – “Kese (Dance)” (Official Video)

9. Shallipopi ft. Burna Boy – “Laho II” (Official Video)

10. Davido – “With You” ft. Omah Lay (Visualizer)

The presence of gospel at the top, alongside leading Afrobeats artists, reflects a shift in audience preferences, showing that spiritual content can now compete on equal footing with secular mainstream music.

Top 10 YouTube Creators in Nigeria (2025)

YouTube also highlighted the creators driving Nigerian content this year. Leading the pack was actress Omoni Oboli, whose channel Omoni Oboli TV earned her the title of Top Creator of 2025.

1. Omoni Oboli – Omoni Oboli TV

2. Ibrahim Yekini – Itelediconstudio

3. Uchenna Mbunabo – Uchenna Mbunabo TV

4. Aminu Saira – Saira Movies

5. Maurice Sam – Maurice Sam TV

6. Ruth Kadiri – RuthKadiri247

7. ApataTV+

8. Uche Montana – Uche Montana TV

9. Sonia Uche – Sonia Uche TV

10. Brain Jotter – Brain Jotter

This diverse lineup reflects the evolving Nigerian content landscape, where films, vlogs, and faith-based music now thrive alongside traditional entertainment.

Why This Matters

1. Breaking Genre Barriers: Gaise Baba’s top position shows that gospel music can now compete with Nigeria’s secular heavyweights.

2. Audience Evolution: Nigerian viewers are embracing diverse content — from Afrobeats to gospel and lifestyle channels.

3. Mainstream Recognition: Gospel artists and film creators alike are seeing their work recognised beyond niche audiences, paving the way for more collaborations and crossover hits.

4. Cultural Influence: As Nigerian creators gain traction globally via YouTube, this mix of secular and faith-driven content broadens the international image of Nigerian music and entertainment.

2025 may go down in history as the year gospel music reclaimed mainstream relevance — not only in church halls but in national charts and online viewership, redefining what it means to be a top artist in Nigeria today.