December 30, 2024: While the world is captivated by Nigeria’s Afrobeats, the country’s locals are taking to Electronic Dance Music (EDM) like never before. What started as sporadic underground parties in Lagos has now blossomed into an inclusive community built around the sizzling emerging sound of electro.

Festival by festival and party by party, DJs and creatives are gradually building the local rave scene by giving people an alternative to the Afrobeats-filled clubs that have come to define Nigeria’s nightlife.

EDM covers many electro styles like house, techno, trance, and dubstep. Thumping baselines, experimental sounds, hypnotic lyrics, and electrifying beat drops fuel EDM lovers from dusk to dawn. But it's the scene’s inclusive vibe — welcoming sneakers over stilettos and skipping the pricey bottle service — that first hooked young electro-heads.

Electro-heads in Nigeria can show up to strobe light-bathed events with brightly coloured hair and short shorts without fear of judgment. Gen Z fans in particular have found the events to be liberating, fuelling the genre’s growth by packing up dancefloors and hyping up the sound in their communities.

Ravers are invited to be their true selves at weekend parties and events like Rave Experience, Vertical Rave and Activity Fest, or all-night parties like Group Therapy, Element House, and Sweat It Out. At these events, viral songs like Kenyan artiste Sofiya Nzau’s “Mwaki” can be heard enchanting audiences.  

Spotify’s data shows that EDM is one of the top 20 genres on the continent. While the likes of David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Marshmello, Tiësto and The Chainsmokers are the most streamed in Nigeria with 16 billion collective plays — local DJs have been a driving force behind EDM’s progression. Electro heavyweights like Skrillex are now featuring on songs like “Yo Fam” by Sarz, revealing their interest in Africa’s growing global influence.

Powerhouse DJs Lead the EDM Wave

Local EDM jockeys like Kella, FāëM and Aniko are the engine room of the country's EDM wave – hosting events that unite fans. DJ Aniko, who leads the monthly Group Therapy rave, has also drawn international attention – playing on influential dance music platforms like HÖR Berlin and Boiler Room Lagos. CODENAME:KND, founder of Mainland House Raves, has carved out a space where Afro-house and Afro-Tech music is celebrated in Nigeria — earning him a Boiler Room set too.

Victoria Island-born Yosa has brought his blend of Afropop, Hip Hop, and EDM to BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Africollective show. Thanks to his beachside event, Disco at Tarkwa Bay, he has led the fusion of EDM with local sounds.

House and electro remixes of Afrobeats hits can also be heard at raves, with tracks like French DJ AUGUSTE’s remixes of Asake’s  “Basquiat” and KiDi’s “Lomo Lomo”. This points to an emerging trend of Afrobeats bangers being embraced by global house artistes.

Nigeria’s raves are more than parties — they are melting pots where subcultures collide and give listeners an escape through electronic music. For fans, the genre creates a space where they can freely express themselves and push the boundaries of Naija party culture.

EDM and its many subgenres have created a wave that is being felt far and wide. From Warri to Benin City and beyond, electro music is an emerging name in the Nigerian music scene. No longer confined to Lagos or Abuja, this disruptive sound has erupted on the country’s dance floors with its inclusive fresh approach. The DJs at the forefront of this music revolution have crafted its appeal, building it up to be an influencer of, rather than a bystander to mainstream culture.

Explore the data below:

10 most streamed EDM artistes in Nigeria in 2024: