Nearly 57% of podcast listeners in Nigeria prefer listening to podcasts about personal development and self-improvement, according to a new survey.
The data, based on a survey of 500 individuals in Nigeria about their podcast listening habits, was presented by podcast consultant Tony Doe.
In addition to personal development and self-improvement, 53% of respondents said they listen to society and culture podcasts, in line with the current top podcasts in the region - according to Chartable - which include religion and spirituality podcast Apostle Joshua Selman, comedy podcast I Said What I Said, and others.
According to SXM Media and Edison Research’s Black Podcast Listener Report 2.0, self-care was the most popular topic amongst respondents that listeners were searching for and wanting to learn more from.
At least 30% said they listen to News and Current Events podcasts as well as Music and Arts, and at least 20% said they listen to Health and Wellness, Business and Finance, and Education and Learning.
The top podcasts in the region at the moment are independent productions, with the exception of a few that aren’t local but have global audiences, including Eggcorn Digital’s Tea With Tay Podcast. However, the report shows that there is a desire from listeners (27.5%) for more local content on Nigerian news and current events and Nigerian health and wellness (28.3%).
Additionally, the report also indicated that podcast listening is growing in Nigeria, with 41.7% of respondents stating that they listen more now than they did last year, and 35.8% listening multiple times per week. According to an announcement by Spotify on International Podcast Day, Nigeria’s listenership increased by 222% from 2021 to 2022 and is ranked as the second-highest consumer of podcasts in Africa, right after South Africa.
Spotify’s manager for sub-Saharan Africa Ncebakazi Manzi credits the growth in listenership to consumption from Gen Z (18-24) podcast listeners who accounted for 50% of total streams in the last 90 days. According to the survey, the majority of listeners in Nigeria are aged between 25-34, amounting to 49.2%, although 30% of listeners were aged 18-24.
“The demographic at the forefront of this transformation is Generation Z,” said Manzi. “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."
“Gen Z is revolutionising the podcasting 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 voice of podcasters in Nigeria and beyond.”
Other highlights from the report show that for podcast discoverability, 28.3% of survey respondents said they would be likely to recommend their favourite podcasts to others and over 55% said that they discover new podcasts through recommendations from friends and family. 71.7% said they discover new shows through social media.
“In a nutshell, Nigerians are embracing podcasts with open arms,” said Doe. “They're tuning in regularly, exploring diverse topics, and relying on their smartphones for the audio journey.”
“As podcasting continues to grow, catering to local interests and preferences is the way to go. So, whether you're a listener or creator, Nigeria's podcast world has something for you!”
