Collaborations have long been central to Nigerian music’s global rise. From early exchanges that brought juju and Afrobeat to Western ears, to today’s gospel and Afrobeats remixes topping charts worldwide, international pairings have done more than boost streams, they’ve changed how the world engages with Nigerian music.
In selecting the best international collaborations Nigerian music, we looked past headlines to songs where both sides brought something essential, and where the Nigerian voice remained at the centre. This list highlights ten of the most impactful collaborations, chosen for their artistic chemistry, cultural influence, and the ways they helped redefine Nigerian music on the world stage.
10. “Peru” — Fireboy DML
Running time: 3m 7s
Featured artist: Ed Sheeran
Genre: Afrobeats
Release year: 2021
When Fireboy DML dropped“Peru” with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran in December 2021, the result was an electric banger that went far beyond Africa’s borders.
“Peru” peaked at #2 on the UK Official Singles Chart, earned diamond certification in France and charted in over 20 countries. It also became one of the most-streamed Afrobeats collaborations ever, cementing Fireboy’s global rise.
9. “Monsters You Made” — Burna Boy
Running time: 3m 37s
Featured artist: Chris Martin
Genre: Afrobeats
Release year: 2023
Burna Boy’s music sometimes is a vessel for political consciousness, and “Monsters You Made” featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin is one of the sharpest examples of that vision. Released as part of Burna’s Grammy-winning album Twice As Tall, the song is a searing protest anthem that confronts the legacies of colonialism, systemic oppression, and the cycles of violence they create.
The timing of its release, in the wake of global conversations about police brutality, racial injustice, and protests like #EndSARS in Nigeria and #BlackLivesMatter worldwide, gave the song additional urgency. It stands out as one of the most unique international collaborations in Nigerian music.
8. “Nara” — Tim Godfrey
Running time: 4m 56s
Featured artist: Travis Greene
Genre: Contemporary Gospel
Release year: 2018
Nigerian gospel artist Tim Godfrey solidified his reputation as a trailblazer in contemporary African gospel with the release of “Nara,” a worship anthem that resonated far beyond church walls. The song, inspired by gratitude and faith, features Grammy-nominated American gospel singer, Travis Greene.
The track’s production, rich with choir backing, dynamic instrumentation and a call-and-response structure, make it perfect for both personal devotion and large congregational gatherings. Though deeply rooted in Nigerian Christian worship traditions, its message is universal.
Subscribe to Zikoko Pop newsletter, The Feed, for the most important pop culture news
7. “Blow My Mind” — Davido
Running time: 3s 19s
Featured artist: Chris Brown
Genre: Afrobeats
Release year: 2019
Davido’s link up with American R&B superstar Chris Brown for “Blow My Mind” remains one of the clearest signs of Afrobeats’ growing integration into mainstream global music. The track leans into a smooth fusion of Afrobeats rhythms and R&B melodies that give colour to Davido’s signature energy and Chris Brown’s sultry vocals.
The single also dominated streaming platforms, becoming one of Davido’s most successful international releases, peaking high on charts across continents. Beyond its streaming milestones, “Blow My Mind” showed that popular Nigerian music had evolved to a point where partnerships with international megastars could happen on equal footing, not as token features, but as genuine collaborations where both voices carried weight.
READ NEXT: The 10 Most Viewed Nigerian Music Videos Of All Time On YouTube
6. “Excess Love (Remix)” — Chioma Jesus
Running time: 8m 27s
Featured artist: J J Hairston & Youthful Praise
Genre: Contemporary Gospel
Release year: 2019
Few Nigerian gospel songs have achieved the reach and resonance of “Excess Love,” the 2018 breakout single by Mercy Chinwo. With its simple yet profound lyrics proclaiming the overwhelming and unconditional love of God, the song quickly became a staple in churches and gospel circles across Africa and the diaspora.
The 2019 remix elevates the track into new territory by bringing in American gospel powerhouse, JJ Hairston and his choir, Youthful Praise, who are known for high-energy worship and strong choral arrangements. The interplay between Mercy’s soulful and emotive delivery and the choir’s powerful harmonies created a version that felt bigger, more universal and perfectly suited for global worship spaces.
5. “Chop My Money (Remix)” — P-Square
Running time: 4m 32s
Featured artist:s May D & Akon
Genre: Afrobeats
Release year: 2012
P-Square already established themselves as one of Africa’s biggest pop duos, but “Chop My Money (Remix)” with Akon and May D elevated their profile on the global stage. Adding Akon, a Senegalese-American superstar with a massive international following, gave the track an extra layer of global appeal. The collaboration wasn’t just a casual link-up. It followed P-Square’s landmark joint venture deal with Akon’s Konvict Muzik in 2011, which signaled their ambitions to expand beyond African borders.
Culturally, the track represents a turning point. It’s one of the first mainstream Nigerian collaborations with an internationally recognised African diaspora star who had already conquered Western charts. At the time, it also set a precedent for more Nigerian artists to pursue strategic collaborations as a pathway to international recognition.
4. “Ase” — King Sunny Adé
Running time: 9m 13s
Featured artist: Stevie Wonder
Genre: Juju
Release year: 1984
In 1984, King Sunny Adé, already celebrated as the king of juju music, released Aura, an album that boldly pushed Nigerian sounds into global spaces. One of its standout tracks, “Ase,” also the opener, features American legend Stevie Wonder.
Their partnership wasn’t random; Wonder had long admired African rhythms and Adé was already a Grammy-nominated global ambassador for juju. “Ase” fused Adé’s intricate talking drum patterns, layered guitar riffs and Yoruba-rooted rhythms with Stevie Wonder’s signature harmonica flourishes. The significance of “Ase” lies in its timing. It’s a reminder that the story of Nigerian music’s global reach didn’t start in the 2010s — pioneers like King Sunny Adé were already bridging continents.
3. “Essence (Remix)” — Wizkid
Running time: 4m 23s
Featured artist: Tems & Justin Bieber
Genre: Afrobeats
Release year: 2021
When Wizkid released “Essence” featuring Tems in 2020, it quickly became one of the defining tracks off his Grammy-nominated album Made in Lagos. But its reach grew exponentially with the “Essence (Remix)” in 2021, when Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber joined the track. Bieber’s verse slid into the lush soundscape created by Nigerian producers Legendury Beatz and P2J, adding a new texture without compromising the original composition.
Commercially, the remix is a big deal. It became the first Nigerian song to break into the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10, peaking at No. 9. It also went platinum in the U.S. and topped R&B/Hip-Hop airplay charts, making history as one of the most commercially successful Nigerian songs ever. Beyond the numbers, “Essence (Remix)” was hailed as “the song of the summer” in 2021 by major American outlets.
2. “Calm Down (Remix)” — Rema
Running time: 4m
Featured artist: Selena Gomez
Genre: Afrobeats
Release year: 2023
“Calm Down” immediately stood out for its hypnotic blend of Nigerian rhythm and global pop. With its sticky hook and Rema’s smooth yet urgent delivery, the track was already a viral success across Africa and parts of Europe. But the “Calm Down (Remix)” featuring American pop star Selena Gomez, catapulted the record into historic territory.
The remix became one of the biggest Afrobeats crossovers in history. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Rema the highest-charting Nigerian artist in U.S. history at the time. The track also topped the Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) chart, stayed on the Hot 100 for over a year, and amassed billions of streams across platforms. It was certified multi-platinum in the U.S., U.K., and several European countries, and its music video crossed over 1 billion views on YouTube. This remix cemented Rema’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s brightest international exports and introduced Selena Gomez to Afrobeats’ growing movement
1. Live! — Fela Kuti & Africa 70
Running time: 1h
Featured artist: Ginger Baker
Genre: Afrobeat
Release year: 1971
In 1971, Live! brought together one of the most iconic cross-cultural collaborations in Nigerian music history: Fela Kuti and his band Africa 70 performing alongside Ginger Baker, the legendary British drummer best known for his work with Cream. Ginger Baker, fascinated by African drumming traditions, had travelled extensively across the continent, even setting up a recording studio in Lagos. On Live!, Baker sits in on drums and percussion, blending smoothly with Tony Allen, Fela’s own drumming genius and Afrobeat’s backbone.
While Live! was initially more celebrated in Europe than Nigeria, it was pivotal in introducing Afrobeat to a broader international audience. For Baker, it was proof that Western rock could learn from African traditions, and for Fela, it was another step in asserting Afrobeat’s global significance.
