Tems Surpasses Ayra Starr as "Born In The Wild" Becomes the 12th Most Streamed Nigerian Project

Tems’ "Born In The Wild" Ascends to 12th Most Streamed Nigerian Project of All-Time

By surpassing the deluxe edition of Ayra Starr’s debut, Tems highlights a competitive landscape where high-fidelity production and international collaborations are driving unprecedented digital engagement for African women in music.

Tems Secures Record-Breaking Streams for "Born In The Wild" in Competitive Chart Shift

The global ascent of African music has reached another significant milestone as Tems’ debut studio album, Born In The Wild, officially climbed the ranks to become the 12th most streamed Nigerian project of all-time on Spotify. In a historic shift for the industry, the album has amassed a staggering 768.6 million streams, narrowly surpassing the long standing record held by Ayra Starr’s 19 & Dangerous (Deluxe), which currently sits at 768.4 million.

This achievement underscores Tems’ dominance in the contemporary R&B and Afrobeats landscape. Since its release in June 2024, Born In The Wild has maintained remarkable longevity on the charts, fueled by global hits such as "Love Me JeJe," "Me & U," and the J. Cole assisted "Free Fall." 

The album's transition into the top 12 signifies more than just a numbers game; it represents the shifting tides of the Nigerian music export market, where debut projects are now competing with veteran catalogs for all-time supremacy.

The record previously held by Ayra Starr’s 19 & Dangerous (Deluxe) was once considered a nearly insurmountable benchmark for female artists in the region. By edging past it, Tems has further solidified her reputation as a powerhouse of streaming. Interestingly, this milestone comes at a time when the "Sabi Girl," Ayra Starr, has already pushed the ceiling even higher with her sophomore effort, The Year I Turned 21, which recently cleared the 1.2 billion stream mark, currently holding its ground as the highest-streamed project by a Nigerian female act.

Industry analysts attribute the success of Born In The Wild to its cross-continental appeal. Tems’ ability to weave traditional African influences with alternative R&B has allowed the project to resonate deeply in markets like the United States and the United Kingdom. In early 2026, the album made additional history by becoming the first project by a Nigerian female artist to spend over 80 weeks on the Billboard World Albums chart, proving that its streaming numbers are backed by consistent, long-term listener engagement.

The competitive nature of the Spotify all-time list reflects the explosive growth of the Nigerian music industry over the last few years. As Tems climbs to the 12th spot, she joins an elite group of artists including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, and Asake, who dominate the upper echelons of the streaming charts. This particular "flip" in the rankings highlights the rapid pace at which new classics are being minted, as Born In The Wild achieved this feat in less than two years of its release.

Looking ahead, the momentum for Tems shows no signs of slowing down. With a Grammy win for "Love Me JeJe" and several other nominations under her belt for this specific body of work, the project continues to gain thousands of daily streams. As she continues her world tour and global appearances, experts predict that Born In The Wild will likely breach the 800 million mark before the mid-year point of 2026.

This latest milestone serves as a testament to the artist’s vision and the growing power of African women in the global music business. Tems has not only entered the history books but is actively rewriting them, one stream at a time.