Nigeria is among several major markets in Africa where global audio streaming service, Spotify has officially launched its service.

The entry of the Swedish platform, which helps music artists extend their reach and broaden their exposure as it enables them to connect with their fan bases instantly, will see it challenge over a dozen other music streaming platforms already present in Nigeria - Apple Music, Boomplay, Deezer, MusicTime to TIDAL, Audiomack, Soundcloud, Gbedu, Mino and Udux etc.

The competition could lead to improved quality music production in the country of over 200 million, as well as for podcasts.

It is also expected to fuel a price war among the providers - with Spotify rolling out with a premium pricing of as low as N900 ((about US$2) for one month.

“Since I started launching stuff on the platform, Spotify has been riding on me. Something I really hold dear to my heart,” says popular Afrobeat musician, Burna Boy, on the announcement. “If everyone in Africa had Spotify and everyone can experience different music and different culture, it’s important because everyone deserves to have access to that.”

Spotify is known for its recording system, which includes counting a song streamed for an artist once it has been listened to for at least 30 seconds. The platform currently has no chart for Nigeria, the biggest country for the Afrobeat genre, which has no official chart or a certification system in place.

Other African countries that would also be listed on the platform include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Belgian-Congolese singer, Lous and the Yakuza, believes the Spotify move will benefit consumers with exposure to a wider variety of music.