New Gospel Singer Beats Davido, Olamide, Clinches Nigeria’s Most-viewed video
New Gospel Singer Beats Davido, Olamide, Clinches Nigeria’s Most-viewed video
Gaise Baba, a fast-rising gospel artist, has stunned the Nigerian music scene after his hit track ‘No Turning Back II’ emerged as the country’s most-viewed music video on YouTube in 2025 — surpassing industry heavyweights like Davido and Olamide.
The song, which features minister Lawrence Oyor, amassed an impressive 41 million views in just six months, dominating YouTube’s annual recap and making Gaise the unexpected chart-topper of the year.
The video also pulled 397,000 likes and more than 22,000 comments, driven largely by a massive wave of support from Nigeria’s rapidly expanding Christian music community.
Reacting to the feat in the comment section of YouTube’s announcement post on Instagram, Gaise described the achievement as proof of divine guidance and cultural influence.
“Big shout out to pastor Lawrence Oyor and that warrior congregation of David Generation Church. See what the Lord has done with our simple obedience. Of a truth, we shift the culture,” he wrote.
Shallipopi’s ‘Laho’ claimed second place on the music-video chart, while Davido and Omah Lay’s highly anticipated collaboration ‘With You’ settled for the third spot — underscoring Gaise Baba’s remarkable rise in a landscape typically dominated by Afrobeats stars such as Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid and Olamide.
On YouTube’s creators’ leaderboard, actress Omoni Oboli emerged as Nigeria’s top creator channel for 2025. She was followed by Ibrahim Yekini’s Itelediconstudio and Uchenna Mbunabo’s Uchenna Mbunabo TV.
Addy Awofisayo, YouTube’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, said the year showcased “explosive musical talent and captivating storytellers,” noting that Nigerian content continues to gain global traction. According to her, 70 per cent of watch time for Nigerian channels now comes from viewers outside the country.
She added that watch time on YouTube via television screens in Nigeria grew by nearly 40 per cent in 2025, reflecting increased local engagement as well as the platform’s investment in creators through masterclasses, monetisation workshops, and partnerships with industry bodies.
“Nigerian content is reaching audiences farther than ever,” Awofisayo said, emphasising YouTube’s continued commitment to developing a thriving creator ecosystem.
