Popular Nigerian comedian and filmmaker AY has spoken about the dramatic increase in the fees demanded by Nigerian music stars for live performances, recalling a time when friendship and relationships played a major role in getting top artistes on his show.
Speaking about the history of AY Live, the comedian said some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars, including Wizkid and Davido, had performed at the comedy show over the years.
According to AY, the atmosphere was different in the early days of the event, as artistes were sometimes willing to accept reasonable payments mainly to cover their logistics.
“Since the beginning of AY Live, Wizkid, Davido, and every major Nigerian artistes have all performed at AY Live,” he said.
He explained that personal relationships and friendships often made it possible for major artistes to appear on the show without demanding huge performance fees.
“Those days, many appearances were made possible through friendship. An artiste would accept any reasonable amount to cover their logistics,” AY added.
However, the comedian said the situation has changed significantly as the Nigerian entertainment industry has grown, with some musicians now reportedly demanding fees running into hundreds of millions of naira before appearing at major events.
“But today, the Nigerian musicians charge ₦200 million, ₦120 million to appear on my show,” he said.
AY’s comments highlight the changing economics of Nigeria’s entertainment industry, where leading musicians have become major commercial attractions for concerts, festivals, award ceremonies and corporate events.
The comedian’s remarks have also drawn attention to how the relationship between artistes and event organisers has evolved, particularly as the commercial value of major Nigerian music stars continues to rise.
While AY did not identify the specific artistes demanding the figures he mentioned, his comments provide a glimpse into the financial pressures organisers may face when attempting to book some of the country’s biggest names for live performances.
