Spotify Deductions Affect Nigerian Artists

Since February 2025, Spotify has been removing streams from various artists, and in another round of deductions in early April, several Nigerian stars saw their stream counts reduced. The platform has adjusted the all-time streaming numbers for multiple tracks.

This is not the first time—significant stream reductions were also recorded in February and March 2025. Many African artists have been affected by these changes.

While Spotify has not offered a detailed explanation for the stream subtractions, it follows a policy of removing streams deemed fraudulent. The platform has made adjustments across different genres for the third consecutive month:

• February 2025

• March 2025

• April 2025

Spotify’s policy prohibits artists from using third-party services that promise streams in exchange for money. Such paid services are considered illegitimate, and using them could result in music being removed from the platform. Additionally, services that guarantee playlist placements in exchange for payment are a direct violation of Spotify’s terms.

The policy also outlines consequences for fraudulent streaming, including the correction of public stream counts, removal from playlists, and even withholding royalties in severe cases. Spotify takes these actions to ensure that an artist’s popularity is accurately reflected in the platform’s charts.

Streaming manipulation remains a global issue, particularly in Nigeria. In 2024, Drake accused Universal Music of using bot streams to inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” Digital streaming platforms continue to enforce a strict zero-tolerance stance on fraudulent streams, emphasizing that it provides an unfair advantage and undermines other artists’ rightful earnings.