Nigeria and Ghana are two of the most prominent West African nations with rich musical histories. The two countries have become the main pioners and pushers of the Afrobeat genre that has taken the world by storm.
Nigeria however, has established itself as the powerhouse of Afrobeats and is second to none. Over the past few decades, Nigerian music has become increasingly global, with several artists making waves in the international music scene. While Ghanaian music has also seen significant growth, it has not been able to achieve the same level of global success as Nigerian music. In this article, we will explore why Nigerian music is more global than Ghanaian music.
Size
One of the key reasons why Nigerian music has been able to gain more global attention than Ghanaian music is the size of the Nigerian music industry.
The Nigerian music industry is much larger than the Ghanaian music industry in terms of revenue and the number of artists. With more resources and a larger pool of talent, Nigerian artists have been able to produce higher quality music and market themselves better than their Ghanaian counterparts. Unlike Ghanaians, Nigerians have carved a niche for themselves when it comes to music production. From the lyrics down to the video, the effort they put into it is quite commendable. Oftentimes, you can’t distinguish A-listers from the up-comers.
Language
Another factor that has contributed to the global success of Nigerian music is the use of English in their music. Although most Ghanaians and entertainment pundits have argued that this reason isn’t potent enough, the points are still valid. English is the official language in both Ghana and Nigeria. Nigerians do more English speaking than their Ghanaian counterparts even though they have over 500 hundred ethnic languages. Only about a quarter of the Ghanaian population speaks English. Thus, Ghanaian music tends to incorporate more local dialects, which can be a barrier for international audiences who do not understand the language. Nigerian artists, however, incorporate English lyrics into their songs. This makes their music more accessible to international audiences, as English is a widely spoken language around the world.
Foreign Influence
American and European music, particularly hip-hop and R&B, have also had a strong influence on Nigerian music. Many Nigerian artists have collaborated with American and European artists, allowing their music to reach new audiences outside of Africa. Furthermore, Nigerian music videos frequently feature expensive cars, lavish lifestyles, and high production values, which has contributed to the creation of a sense of glamour and aspirational lifestyle that appeals to audiences all over the world. This is where Ghanaians fall short. Only a hand full of musicians from Ghana have made American collaborations. The most notable of them came in 2019 when Beyoncé featured Shatta Wale on her album ‘The Lion King: The Gift ‘.
Diaspora
Finally, the Nigerian diaspora has played an important role in the global spread of Nigerian music. Nigerians living abroad have played an important role in promoting Nigerian music to their friends and colleagues, which has helped to create a demand for Nigerian music in countries other than Africa. Of course, as the most populous country in Africa, it stands to reason that they have a higher proportion of expatriates than Ghanaians.
To summarize, while Ghanaian music has made significant strides in recent years, Nigerian music has achieved greater global success due to its larger music industry, use of English in its music, influence from American and European music, and support from the Nigerian diaspora. We can expect Nigerian music to continue to dominate the Ghanaian music and global scene for years to come, owing to the continued growth of the Nigerian music industry and the emergence of new talents.
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