The debate between Wizkid and Davido fans has been raging for years now. Who’s truly more popular? It’s a question that sparks endless Twitter battles and heated WhatsApp group discussions across Africa and beyond.
These two Nigerian superstars have taken Afrobeats to incredible heights, right alongside Burna Boy. They’ve collaborated with global icons, sold out massive stadiums, and put African music on the world map. But when you look at the numbers in 2026, the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think.
Both artists dominate different metrics. Wizkid leads in streaming numbers, while Davido commands social media like no other African musician. Let’s break down the data and see what the numbers actually tell us about who’s more popular in 2026.
Social Media Influence
Social media has become the digital heartbeat of celebrity influence. If you’re not on Instagram or Twitter in 2026, do you even exist? For African celebrities especially, these platforms determine their reach and cultural impact.
Let’s start with Instagram, where the numbers tell a clear story.
Instagram Followers (2026)
- Davido: 29.5-31 million followers
- Wizkid: 18.3-18.4 million followers
Davido has held his crown as Africa’s most-followed musician on Instagram for over six years. The gap between him and Wizkid? A massive 12 million followers. That’s not just a lead, it’s a landslide.
Twitter/X Followers (2026)
- Davido: 14.8-17 million followers
- Wizkid: 13.7 million followers
On Twitter, Davido maintains his advantage, though the gap is narrower. When you combine all major platforms, Davido’s total following reaches approximately 54.4 million compared to Wizkid’s 40 million.
Here’s what makes this interesting: their engagement strategies couldn’t be more different. Davido posts frequently and interacts directly with his “30BG” (30 Billion Gang) community. He’s accessible, relatable, and constantly in your face. Wizkid, on the other hand, takes the mysterious artist approach. He has only 7 total posts on Instagram, cultivating mystique over accessibility. Both strategies work, but Davido’s approach clearly generates bigger follower numbers.
Winner: Davido dominates social media
Streaming Platforms
Here’s where the tables turn completely. When it comes to streaming numbers, Wizkid isn’t just ahead, he’s in a different league entirely.
In January 2026, Wizkid became the first African artist to surpass 10 billion streams on Spotify. Let that sink in. 10 billion streams. His monthly listeners sit at approximately 13.8 million, while Davido’s stand at 9.6 million.
The career streaming numbers reveal an even starker contrast:
- Wizkid: 10+ billion total streams
- Davido: 3.5 billion total streams
What’s driving Wizkid’s streaming supremacy? His collaboration with Drake on “One Dance” alone has over 3 billion streams. Then there’s “Essence” with Tems, which became a global phenomenon with 334 million+ streams. These aren’t just African hits, they’re worldwide smashes.
Spotify Wrapped 2025 crowned Wizkid as Nigeria’s most-streamed artist. His album “Morayo,” released in November 2024, became the most-streamed album in Nigeria that year with 292.4 million streams. The album shattered records by accumulating 48 million Spotify streams within six days of release, the biggest African album debut in Spotify history. Apple Music Nigeria also named Wizkid their 2025 Artist of the Year.
But wait, Davido isn’t without his streaming victories. His song “With You” featuring Omah Lay earned the title of most-streamed and most-shared song in Nigeria for 2025 with 89.1 million streams. On Billboard’s year-end U.S. Afrobeats chart, Wizkid ranked #2 while Davido placed #4.
There’s also Boomplay, a streaming platform more popular within Africa. Here, Davido leads with 638 million streams compared to Wizkid’s 396 million. This suggests Davido has stronger regional penetration within the continent itself.
Winner: Wizkid dominates streaming platforms globally
YouTube Reach
YouTube tells a split story. Davido leads in subscribers with approximately 4.4-4.5 million compared to Wizkid’s 3.34 million on StarBoy TV. However, Wizkid leads in total views with 2.26 billion versus Davido’s 1.9-2 billion, despite uploading roughly half as many videos (87 versus 162).
The most-viewed videos show just how competitive these two are:
- Davido’s “Fall” (2017): ~294 million views
- Wizkid’s “Joro” (2019): ~291 million views
- Wizkid’s “Essence” (2021): 215 million views
Davido’s “Fall” holds special significance as the first Afrobeat video to reach 100 million, 150 million, and 200 million views. It’s a groundbreaking achievement that opened doors for many African artists on YouTube.
Winner: It’s a tie, with each artist leading in different YouTube metrics
Recent Albums
Both artists released major projects within six months of each other, giving us fresh data to analyze their current popularity.
Wizkid’s “Morayo” arrived on November 22, 2024, with 16 tracks. The album honors his late mother, Juliana Morayo Balogun (the title means “I see joy” in Yoruba). It pulled in 12.12 million first-day Spotify streams and peaked at #98 on the Billboard 200 and #8 on the UK Albums Chart. All 16 tracks charted simultaneously on Billboard’s Afrobeats Songs for eight consecutive weeks, making history.
Davido’s “5ive” followed on April 18, 2025, featuring 17 tracks with international collaborations including Chris Brown, Victoria Monét, Becky G, and YG Marley (Bob Marley’s grandson). The album generated 9.29 million first-day Spotify streams and peaked at #7 on the UK Albums Chart. The lead single “With You” debuted at #1 on Apple Music Nigeria.
Both albums delivered strong commercial performance, though Wizkid’s “Morayo” edges ahead in streaming metrics.
International Collaborations
When it comes to international features, both artists have worked with global heavyweights, but their approaches differ significantly.
Wizkid has worked with Drake (“One Dance,” “Come Closer”), Beyoncé (“Brown Skin Girl”), Justin Bieber (“Essence” remix), Brent Faiyaz, and Jazmine Sullivan. His “Morayo” album features Asake, Tiakola, and other R&B artists.
Davido leans more toward hip-hop and dancehall connections. His “5ive” album has collaborations with Chris Brown (“Titanium”), Victoria Monét, Becky G, YG Marley, and Shenseea. He’s built particularly strong ties with Chris Brown through multiple tracks over the years.
Both strategies work brilliantly for their respective sounds and audiences. Wizkid’s smooth, laid-back vibe pairs perfectly with R&B artists, while Davido’s energetic, party-ready sound meshes well with hip-hop collaborators.
Winner: Tie, both have stellar international collaborations
Awards & Recognition
This category reveals a crucial difference. Wizkid holds a Grammy win for Best Music Video with “Brown Skin Girl” featuring Beyoncé in 2021. This makes him one of only a handful of African artists with Grammy recognition. His career total stands at 156+ awards, including 4 BET Awards, 6 MOBO Awards, 3 Billboard Music Awards, and 2 American Music Awards. He’s Africa’s most-awarded artist.
Davido, despite five Grammy nominations (including three for his 2023 album “Timeless”), hasn’t secured a win yet. He’s nominated for the 68th Grammy Awards in February 2026 for Best African Music Performance for “With You.” His trophy cabinet includes 2 BET International Act: Africa awards (2014, 2018), the 2025 Headies Artist of the Year, and the 55th NAACP Image Award for Outstanding International Song.
At the 67th Grammy Awards in February 2025, both were nominated for Best African Music Performance, but Tems won the category.
Winner: Wizkid, thanks to his Grammy win
Endorsement Deals
Both artists maintain substantial endorsement portfolios worth multiple millions annually. These deals prove that brands recognize their influence and reach.
Wizkid’s major partnerships include D’Usse cognac, Flutterwave fintech, PUMA, Ciroc Premium Vodka (reportedly ₦300 million), and UBA (reportedly ₦1 billion). His estimated annual endorsement earnings exceed ₦7 billion.
Davido’s partnerships feature GAC Motors, Martell Cognac (reportedly $5 million), PUMA, Infinix Mobile, 1XBET, and Wema Bank’s ALAT. His advisor has pioneered an equity-based partnership model, prioritizing ownership stakes over traditional endorsement fees. This forward-thinking approach could pay bigger dividends long-term.
Winner: Tie, both have impressive endorsement portfolios
Google Trends Analysis
Google Trends provides fascinating insights into search interest worldwide. When comparing search terms “Wizkid” and “Davido” over the past 12 months with worldwide coverage, Wizkid maintains a slight edge with 19 points to Davido’s 18 points since 2004.
However, the regional breakdown tells the real story. Most of Wizkid’s Google searches come from Western countries (Europe and North America), while Davido dominates in Africa. This aligns perfectly with their streaming versus social media dynamics. Wizkid has penetrated Western markets more deeply, while Davido remains king of the African continent.
Winner: Slight edge to Wizkid globally, but Davido dominates Africa
Concert Tours
Both artists have announced major 2025 tours that tell of their massive drawing power.
Wizkid’s Morayo Tour includes European dates in May and a North American leg in June featuring Madison Square Garden (June 7) and the Hollywood Bowl (June 22) with an orchestral collaboration. These are iconic venues that few African artists have headlined.
Davido’s 5ive Alive Tour spans 12 North American cities from July through November. Most impressively, he’s headlining Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on July 3, 2025, an 80,000-capacity venue. This follows Wizkid’s own historic Tottenham sellout in July 2023.
Both artists are also headlining major festivals. The ability to sell out stadiums and headline international festivals proves their star power transcends streaming numbers and social media followers.
Winner: Tie, both are stadium-filling superstars
Who is More Popular in 2026?
So after analyzing all this data, who’s more popular? The honest answer is that it depends on how you measure popularity.
If you define popularity by social media following and African regional dominance, Davido wins convincingly. His 30 million Instagram followers, massive Twitter presence, and stronger Boomplay numbers prove he’s the people’s champion across Africa. He’s more visible, more accessible, and more engaged with fans on a daily basis.
If you define popularity by global streaming reach, international recognition, and Western market penetration, Wizkid takes the crown. His 10+ billion Spotify streams, Grammy win, and dominance in Europe and North America is an unmatched global appeal. His music has crossed over into mainstream Western consciousness in ways few African artists have achieved.
Both artists have reached heights that seemed impossible for African musicians just a decade ago. They’ve sold out major stadiums, collaborated with global superstars, and built massive fanbases spanning continents. The rivalry between them, rather than diminishing either’s achievements, has actually elevated both careers.
Their competing album releases, parallel stadium shows, and dueling fan bases (30BG versus Wizkid FC) ensure neither artist’s relevance ever wanes. The constant comparisons keep both artists in the public conversation, which benefits them both commercially and culturally.
Final Verdict
Based on the comprehensive analysis of 2026 data:
Overall: Slight edge to Davido for overall popularity in 2026
Davido’s massive social media advantage (14+ million more Instagram followers), stronger African regional presence, higher YouTube subscribers, and constant cultural visibility give him a slight edge in overall popularity. He’s simply more present in people’s daily social media feeds and conversations.
