CKAY’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” becomes first solo Nigerian song to cross 1 billion Spotify streams

The global rise of CKay has reached a breathtaking peak: his breakout single Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah) has officially crossed one billion streams on Spotify — making it the first solo Nigerian song ever to hit that milestone.

Originally released in 2019 as part of his EP CKay the First, "Love Nwantiti" slowly but surely built a global following. The wave surged in 2021, when a remix version went viral across social media platforms, especially during the pandemic when streaming and social media consumption soared.

What began as a smooth Afrobeats–R&B love serenade quickly transformed into a worldwide anthem. The song found legs far outside Nigeria — topping charts, hearing remixes in multiple languages and regions, and infiltrating playlists from Lagos to Lisbon, Morocco to Milan. The acoustic version, club remix, and other variants helped accumulate the total streams that eventually pushed the song over the billion‑stream mark.

The billion‑stream milestone is backed by huge commercial success. In March 2024, the track was certified eight‑times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making it the most‑certified Nigerian song in U.S. history.

For the Nigerian music industry — and Afrobeats as a global force — this is more than just a number tally. It signals a new level of global acceptance. A song that originated in Lagos, written by a young African artist, has now resonated with hundreds of millions of listeners worldwide. For CKay, this cements his status not just as a local star, but a global powerhouse leading the Afro‑pop wave.

“Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)”’s journey also underscores how modern music success is built: digital platforms, cross‑border remixes, social media virality, and consistent streaming. Its success has propelled CKay to unprecedented global visibility and solidified Afrobeats as a dominant global genre — thanks to talent, timing, and cross‑cultural appeal.

As CKay continues to drop new music, this milestone ensures he, and the entire Nigerian music scene, have officially arrived on the world stage.