In Nigeria’s vibrant music scene, a new movement — Electronic Dance Music (EDM) — is emerging alongside the dominant Afrobeats sound that echoes from car radios to club speakers. Driven by a fresh wave of Nigerian DJs, collectives, and ravers, this shift which is more than just a change in sound but also a cultural rewire is gaining traction among the country’s Gen Z.
 
The new dance movement is creating inclusive spaces and resisting social hierarchies that often define nightlife. Through underground raves and curated experiences, Gen Zs are rejecting traditional clubs’ exclusivity and forging a new path that feels authentic and raw.
  
The numbers back this up, as Spotify — a digital music, podcast, and audiobook streaming service platform that offers both free and premium (subscription-based) options — data shows that EDM streams in Nigeria have skyrocketed by 403 per cent over the past three years, with user-generated playlists rising by 353 per cent. Over a million playlists now feature electronic tracks curated by Nigerian listeners alone.
 
Notwithstanding the development, Afrobeats still reigns supreme among EDM listeners, but the genre-bending sound is all about blending Afro rhythms with electronic beats. Tracks like Particula, a collaboration between Major Lazer — an American electronic dance music and DJ trio — and Nigerian artistes — Patoranking, Ice Prince, Nasty C, Jidenna, and South African disc jockey, record producer, singer, and songwriter, Themba Sekowe known professionally as DJ Maphorisa — showcase this fusion. Collectives like Group Therapy and Element House are creating cultural hubs where young Nigerians can connect over music, not clout.
 
The music streaming platform’s recent partnership with Group Therapy for their May edition demonstrated the community’s energy and love for electronic music. The data speaks for itself, as listeners aged 18-24 account for nearly half of EDM streams, with Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt leading the charge.
  
According to Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, EDM offers a rare chance to be fully present, immersed in sound, unbothered by social posturing. “This is a scene that trades bottle service for belonging; one that prioritises joy over status. For many young Nigerians, EDM offers the rare chance to be fully present, immersed in sound, unbothered by social posturing,” she said.