Amid the economic turbulence of 2025, Nigeria's live-band scene showed striking resilience, writes Adedayo Adejobi
Shuga Band's position at the top of the ranking is as much about legacy as it is about performance. Founded in 1998 by the late Akinloye "Akiin Shuga" Tofowomo--who passed away in November and has since been laid to rest--the band represents one of Nigeria's most enduring live-music institutions. Akin Shuga, who studied music business in Boston, built the ensemble into a premium brand synonymous with excellence, discipline, and elite clientele.
Importantly, the story did not end with his passing. Barely a month after his death, a new board was constituted, ensuring continuity, structure, and strategic direction. Since then, the band has continued to perform at a high level, deliberately carrying forward the founder's ethos and musical standards, proving that Shuga Band is bigger than any one individual.
From both performance and reputation standpoints, their pedigree remains unmatched. Shuga Band continues to dominate high-end private, diplomatic, and corporate events--a niche that offers resilience even in difficult economic cycles. This positioning provides significant pricing power and reduces dependence on mass-market club gigs. Their ability to travel for premium bookings further strengthens their revenue base.
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Digitally, the brand remains solid and professional. Their Instagram presence is consistent and well curated, while their YouTube channel showcases polished live medleys and event performances that reinforce their premium image.
Institutional backing has also reinforced the band's future. The Publisher of THISDAY Newspaper and Chairman of ARISE TV, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, has publicly committed to supporting Akin Shuga's enduring legacy, pledging that the Shuga Band will continue to perform at THISDAY and ARISE Group functions--an endorsement that firmly anchors the band within Nigeria's elite cultural and media ecosystem.
As household spending tightened, Shuga Band leaned further into high-yield prestige bookings rather than chasing volume. This approach preserved both brand equity and revenue stability.
In a harsh macroeconomic environment, Shuga Band stands as the benchmark--an elite brand with diversified revenue streams, strong digital visibility, institutional backing, and a successfully managed post-founder transition. Their resilience positions them strongly for 2026 and beyond.
Veentage Band
Veentage understands both the moment and its audience. With a sound and image tailored to Millennials and Gen Z, and recently premium clientele, the group leans heavily into trending medley covers that travel quickly on social media. Their Instagram following reflects that instinct: youthful, engaged, and growing.
Online, they do not merely exist--they perform. A dedicated YouTube channel, punchy viral-style clips, and consistent content keep them visible beyond the stage. That digital strength is already paying off creatively. In 2025, band leader Desmond Emokiniovo released a solo single, signalling a smart expansion into content creation and streaming revenue, not just live gigs.
When physical-event budgets tightened in 2025, Veentage adapted by riding social-media virality. The payoff has been strong positioning for festivals and brand activations in 2026--right where young audiences and advertisers intersect.
Cool Ice Band
Elijah Oluwaseun Odiakosa and the Cool Ice Band operate at the premium end of the event market, covering everything from weddings to high-level corporate galas. Their reputation is built on reliability, range, and scale, reinforced by a polished website and strong control of major venues through repeat bookings. Simply put, they stay busy--and profitable.
Within the industry, Elijah is recognised for heavy investment in top-of-the-range, European-standard sound systems--a key differentiator that supports premium pricing and client loyalty. Looking ahead, momentum continues with a debut album planned as 2026 approaches.
Digitally, the brand is functional rather than flashy, maintaining consistent activity on Instagram and Facebook alongside a clean, modern website. Crucially, income is diversified beyond live performances. Production, AV rental, event services, and car sales create a wider business ecosystem.
Faith Band
Operating firmly within faith-based and cultural circuits, Ayo Ajekigbe's band has built a steady presence across South-West Nigeria, with some cross-border engagements. Its strength lies in a clearly defined niche that remains active even when mainstream entertainment spending declines.
Digital presence is moderate--strong within its faith-based audience but limited in broader reach. In 2025, the band focused on consistent cultural and traditional engagements, avoiding over-dependence on club shows and mass-market spending.
This niche-driven approach provides resilience rather than hype, placing the band fourth for stability and sustainability in a tighter economic climate.
The Aristos Band
Aristos Band is a seasoned Nigerian live-music ensemble known for polished, high-energy performances spanning Afrobeats, Highlife, and contemporary fusion. Built on consistency and professional delivery, they remain a trusted choice for social events.
Their maiden headline concert, The Life of the Party, held on 17 December 2025 at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Lagos, signalled rising demand and growing brand confidence.
Digitally, Aristos prioritises steady relevance over virality, using releases and active social media to showcase live sets and event highlights. Revenue is anchored in live performances and concerts, complemented by recorded and streaming content. In 2025, this emphasis on dependable live income helped cushion fluctuations in one-off bookings.
Eboni Band
Godbless Ubiebifayen's Eboni Band is a credible and longstanding live-band brand, best known for consistent delivery at social, private, and premium events. Their reputation is built on reliability and performance quality rather than hype, making them a trusted choice for clients who value professionalism.
Digitally, the band maintains a vibrant Instagram presence that supports visibility and keeps them top of mind within their core market. Revenue remains anchored in stable event bookings--a key strength.
In 2025, that focus paid off. Dependence on premium private engagements insulated the band from broader spending softness in the live-entertainment market.
SB Live
Seun Bankole and SB Live are gaining strong momentum, driven by growing visibility across diaspora markets in the United Kingdom, United States, and Nigeria. Their presence at private, resort, and high-end social events gives the brand an international edge that few local bands can match.
Digitally, SB Live is highly active. A large Instagram following and frequent posts of high-energy live performances reinforce their appeal and keep global audiences engaged. That visibility feeds directly into bookings.
Revenue strength comes from mobility. The ability to tour and perform internationally provides a hedge against local currency pressures and inflation. In 2025, this cross-border expansion proved strategic, insulating SB Live from weakening domestic discretionary spend.
Segun Johnson
Segun Johnson is a young, fast-rising Nigerian bandleader celebrated for electrifying, high-energy shows that blend Yoruba chants with Afrobeats, Highlife, and party rhythms. He is a must-have for owambe parties, corporate events, and international gigs, with sold-out concerts in Canada and the United Kingdom underscoring his cross-border appeal.
Digitally, Johnson thrives on viral performance clips and streaming releases, supported by active social media that highlights crowd energy. Revenue is driven by live dominance--premium bookings and headline concerts--supplemented by recordings and tours.
In 2025, adaptability and consistency sustained his momentum despite fluctuating event demand. He ranks eighth for strong live credentials and global reach, although mainstream chart presence remains modest compared with top commercial acts.
Sharp Band - Anesi Ivharue
Sharp Band is a veteran institution in Nigeria's live-music space. As far back as 2014, they had the capacity to run two events simultaneously and handled high-profile engagements, including a presidential daughter's wedding. That scale remains a core strength.
Digitally, their Instagram and Facebook pages feature live-session clips with modest but steady traction. Their large operational structure--musicians, engineers, and support staff--allows them to manage scale efficiently and spread fixed costs. However, the band needs to evolve with the times.
In 2025, the key challenge was staying relevant to younger, digital-first audiences. Still, reputation, capacity, and institutional depth give them endurance.
Metro Band
Metro Band is best understood as a business-led live-entertainment outfit rather than a musician-driven institution. Its founder is a successful businessman, particularly in construction, and that commercial strength is evident in organisation, branding, and his love for music. However, the absence of musical grounding at leadership level creates structural limitations.
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Not being a musician or instrumentalist leaves creative control largely with band members who, while competent, are largely average. This results in a narrow repertoire and predictable performances, confining the band's appeal mainly to younger millennial audiences--currently its core market.
To be taken more seriously, Metro Band must evolve: expand its repertoire, tighten stage coordination, improve performance dynamics, and engage professional vocalists skilled in audience interaction. An experienced musical director is essential. Until then, the business works better than the music--suggesting the founder's strongest value may lie in investing in music rather than leading it.
Why These Bands Matter in 2026
Nigeria's live-music industry enters 2026 shaped by resilience. In 2025, inflation eroded disposable incomes, a volatile naira raised production costs, and event organisers became sharply cost-conscious. Bands that endured shared key traits: access to premium or corporate clients, diversified income beyond stage performances, and strong digital visibility that converted attention into bookings.
Smart band owners are those prepared to pair performance excellence with operational adaptability. The strongest acts invested in studios, production services, corporate and diaspora gigs, monetised digital content, and maintained momentum despite economic pressure.
Corporate events, destination weddings, brand activations, and international bookings now anchor industry revenue, while digital platforms have evolved from mere promotion into income streams. Diaspora tours offer both hedge and prestige.
With Nigeria's new tax policy effective from 1 January 2026, bands without formal operational structures face a critical test. Only those with standardised accounting, contracts, and revenue-tracking systems will navigate compliance successfully--separating long-term winners from informal, high-risk operators.
2026 will reward bands that combine spectacle with strategy. The most bankable acts are no longer just performers; they are institutions--building experiences, partnerships, and global relevance in a market that never stops dancing.
