Lagos: Nigerian Afrobeats musician, Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi, has been named TikTok’s 2025 Artiste of the Year. The announcement was made in a statement by TikTok and shared with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the awards were held in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme ‘New Era, New Icons’. Shallipopi’s hit track, ‘Laho’, was highlighted as a chart-dominating force that sparked viral trends across the continent. TikTok described the song as a cultural phenomenon that significantly impacted the platform’s ‘For You Feeds’ and led to viral challenges that extended beyond Nigeria.
The achievement marked a notable night for Nigeria at the TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa, where Nigerian creators claimed six out of the 10 awards. This accomplishment underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in digital creativity and African pop culture.
Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, remarked that Nigeria’s success at the ceremony demonstrates the strength of the country’s creative ecosystem. “With Nigerian creators securing six of the 10 awards, we are honoured to celebrate their impact, especially as these victories were voted for by the TikTok community, who continue to champion the stories shaping culture,” she stated.
Sidwaba noted that the wins show how Nigerian creators, from various fields like food storytelling, entertainment, technology education, and social advocacy, are utilizing short-form video to share local culture with a global audience. The platform emphasized that Nigerian creators are influencing global conversations on African identity through language, music, cuisine, and community-focused storytelling.
The creators expressed their appreciation to TikTok for providing a platform that allows Nigeria to shine on the global stage. “Every single creator is a storyteller. We all tell stories that help drive the local communities, our cities, and our countries, and when we do that we change the perception that the world has about us,” commented Brian Nwana.