Online streaming platform, Spotify, has unveiled the top five most streamed podcasts in Nigeria, Kenya and South, for 2024.

Spotify’s Sub-Saharan Africa Podcast Manager, Ncebakazi Manzi, in a statement on Thursday, said that “Apostle Femi Lazarus” remained the most streamed podcast in Nigeria.

Manzi said others were: “Motivation Daily by Motiversity”, Success Addicted Podcast with the voice of Earl Nightingale ; Napoleon Hill ; Jim Rohn and many more”, “Apostle Joshua Selman and The HonestBunch Podcast.

She said the top five most streamed podcasts in South Africa were: “The Joe Rogan Experience”, “The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett”, “What Now? With Trevor Noah”, “Motivation Daily by Motivarsity” and “Podcast and Chil with MacG”.

For the top five most streamed podcasts in Kenya, Manzi said they were: “The97sPodcast”, “So This Is Love”, “The Mkurugenzi Podcast”, “Mic Cheque Podcast” and “The Sandwich Podcast”.

She described podcasts as one of Africa’s favourite ways to tell stories.

She said with almost four billion minutes of podcast audio played in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024, the continent’s appetite for the content had become loud and clear.

“South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya listened to the most shows this year, with South Africa contributing over two billion minutes.

“The numbers don’t lie. Podcasting is here to stay because it lets creators take control of their narratives and tell these stories on their terms while bringing their community along for the journey.

“Podcasts are personal, but trends do exist across the continent’s leading markets and beyond,” she said.

Manzi said that motivational shows around issues like managing finances, relationships, personal goals and health remained popular across the three leading countries.

She said shows like “The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett”, “Motivation Daily by Motiversity” and “The Success Addicted Podcast” have attracted listeners who wanted to get their lives in order and learn from the stories of inspirational people.

“Audiences in Nigeria and South Africa embrace shows about spirituality.

“Christian Motivation had one of the most shared episodes in South Africa while “Apostle Joshua Selman” maintained his popularity in Nigeria for another year.

“As the continent’s second-largest podcast market, Nigeria listened to 700 million minutes in 2024 and it created half of the new shows published in Sub-Saharan Africa this year.

“Even though spirituality dominated Nigeria’s top charts, the continued popularity of shows like “I Said What I Said” and “The HonestBunch Podcast” tell us that listeners also want conversation-style shows.

“Listeners in Kenya and South Africa also showed affinity toward these shows,” she said.

Elton John, the iconic British singer, has spoken against the legalisation of marijuana in America and Canada, calling it “one of the greatest mistakes of all time”.

In an interview with Time Magazine, the ‘Sacrifice’ hitmaker shared his concerns about the dangers of cannabis, citing its addictive nature and potential to lead users to other drugs.

John revealed that he has personal experience with marijuana and warned that it impairs normal thinking.

“I maintain that it is addictive. It leads to other drugs. And when you are stoned—and I have been stoned, you do not think normally,” he said.

“Legalising marijuana in America and Canada is one of the greatest mistakes of all time.”

The 77-year-old also expressed regret over not being able to help his friend George Michael, the late British singer, who struggled with substance abuse.

Micheal died on December 25, 2016 at the age of 53 from heart and liver related issues.

“It is tough to tell someone that they are being an ae, and it is tough to hear. Eventually I made the choice to admit that I am being an ae,” he added.

John is one of the best-selling artistes of all time. He is known for hits like ‘Your Song’, ‘Rocket Man’ and ‘I’m Still Standing’.

He has sold over 300 million records worldwide in a music career spanning six decades.

The singer recently revealed that he has lost his eyesight.

Williams Uchemba, the Nigerian actor, and Brunella Oscar, his wife, have welcomed their second child.

The actor recently took to Instagram to reveal that the baby was born on December 9.

Uchemba said he was in Nigeria attending a meeting while his wife was in labor in the United Kingdom.

The 31-year-old said despite the distance, he traveled from Enugu to London to be by his wife’s side, presenting her with a bouquet at the hospital.

The film star praised his wife, describing her as “one of the strongest women” he knows. He also shared a heartwarming clip of himself holding his baby named ‘Ethan Chidubem Uchembah’.

“I was having a meeting in Enugu and my wife called me hey baby how are you? And for the first time in our life, my life replied: ‘I am not fine’. I have never heard use those words,” he wrote.

“It seems baby wants to come today. I knew I had to find my way to London tonight.
Thankfully, there was a last flight From Enugu to Lagos.

“Landed in Lagos and started making my way to the international airport.

“My baby is here and I am 40,000 feet above sea level. All I had was Thanksgiving and praise.”