CKay’s global smash hit “Love Nwantiti (ah ah ah)” has officially surpassed one billion streams on Spotify, earning a coveted place in the platform’s prestigious Billions Club. This milestone cements CKay as one of Africa’s most streamed artists ever and marks a historic moment for Afrobeats on the global stage.
What began as a soft release evolved into a worldwide TikTok sensation in 2021, turning “Love Nwantiti” into one of the most recognisable African songs in modern music. With this achievement, the track becomes only the second Nigerian song in history to cross the billion-stream threshold on Spotify.
CKay—once affectionately labelled “Africa’s boyfriend”—now joins an elite lineup of African artists who have hit this milestone. Rema was the first to break the barrier with the Selena Gomez-assisted remix of “Calm Down,” which made history in September 2023 as the first African song to ever reach one billion streams on Spotify. South Africa’s Tyla followed in February 2025 when her viral hit “Water” became the first solo African track to hit a billion streams.
With the original solo version of “Love Nwantiti” now entering the Billion Club, CKay becomes the third African artist to secure a distinct entry into this prestigious streaming circle—reinforcing his role as one of the continent’s leading pioneers of global streaming success.
A Global Smash That Refused to Fade
Released in 2019 on his EP CKay The First, “Love Nwantiti” began as a slow-burning favourite before exploding internationally two years later. Its delicate blend of soft Afrobeats rhythms, addictive harmonies, and the instantly recognisable “ah ah ah” refrain made it perfect for TikTok virality—where millions of users propelled it across continents.
The song’s global run was turbocharged by countless international remixes, especially the DJ Yo! & AX’EL version, which alone has raked in more than 684 million Spotify streams. Powered largely by organic fan engagement, the track dominated global charts and became 2021’s most-streamed African song.
The one-billion Spotify milestone is just part of its enormous digital footprint. Between remixes, official versions, and user-generated content, Love Nwantiti had already amassed over 1.5 billion streams across major platforms by early 2022. On YouTube, the various releases collectively command hundreds of millions of views.
By November 2025, CKay’s overall career streams across top DSPs had surpassed an astounding 5.5 billion—further solidifying his status as a global hitmaker.
Record-Breaking Certifications Around the World
“Love Nwantiti” remains the most certified Nigerian song in U.S. history, boasting an incredible 8× Platinum RIAA certification—representing more than 8 million units in sales and streaming equivalents. This puts the song on track to potentially become the first Afrobeats track to reach Diamond status (10× Platinum).
Its success extends far beyond America:
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India: 20× Platinum (equivalent to 2× Diamond)
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France: Diamond
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United Kingdom: 2× Platinum
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Canada & Poland: 4× Platinum
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Portugal: 6× Platinum
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Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria: Platinum
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New Zealand: 3× Platinum
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Australia: Gold
This widespread certification haul reflects the song’s astonishing global appeal.
Chart Domination Across Continents
CKay’s mega-hit has also enjoyed impressive chart success:
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#26 on the Billboard Hot 100
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#2 on the Billboard Global 200
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#3 on the UK Official Singles Chart
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#1 on charts in India, Norway, and Switzerland
Much of its chart dominance was fuelled by the song’s immense cultural impact on TikTok, where it soundtracked countless videos across age groups and continents.
A Modern Classic in African Music History
Today, “Love Nwantiti” stands as one of Afrobeats’ most successful global exports—a modern classic that continues to influence the sound, ambition, and digital strategy of emerging African artists. CKay’s achievement not only celebrates a personal career milestone but also marks another major leap forward for African music on the world stage.
