Romance, in the Nigerian imagination, can sometimes be quiet, reluctant, expressed sideways, through action, proximity and the unspoken. And yet, sometimes, when Nigerians pick up microphones to express love and romance, something shifts. The same culture that treats public affection like a misdemeanour has produced some of the most achingly beautiful, tender and straight-up romantic lyrics in the history of music.
This list is a celebration of that. Fifty lyrics across Afrobeats, Afropop, R&B, highlife, and everything in between, that made us blush, press replay, screenshot and even send song links to someone at odd hours with no context hoping they get what we mean.
These are lyrics capable of starting and carrying relationships. Lyrics that, if we’re being honest, are some of the most romantic things some of us ever heard growing up. In no order (because there’s no hierarchy in love), these are fifty moments where Nigerian artists turned love into language and made it sound effortless.
50. Lojay in “WHISTLE” by Blaqbonez (2022)
“Streets na cruise, so na your leash I choose.”
49. Kizz Daniel in “Give Into” (2016)
“It’s okay if you snore
Tonight’s gonna be a duet
I like you and your faults
I wan know you well.”
48. Dwin, the Stoic in “I Go Nowhere” (2024).
“I go nowhere
This your matter go put me inside trouble, and that’s fine by me
You sef you know when you call me
My baby, I’ll enter my motor and show
‘Cause I go nowhere.”
47. Wurld in “TROBUL” with Sarz (2019)
“I’m a fool for you so whatever
Through desire we live forever
We are dreamers, we live forever,
Through this passion, we live forever.”
46. Simi in “Complete Me” (2017)
“If I no get you, it’s like the sun without the light
It’s like the moon without the night, ‘cause I need you in my life
If I no get you it’s like faith without belief, like a heart without a beat
And what’s a heart without a beat?”
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45. Timi Dakolo in “Medicine” (2017)
“Can’t do without you
Built my whole world around you.”
44. Obongjayar in “All the Difference” (2022
“I can touch the sky from your shoulders
It was through your eyes, I learned the whole world.”
43. Tay Iwar in “Bad Belle” (2025)
“Any kind of person wey think say e no go happen for me and you
We go show dem now, we go show dem
Follow me, make we show dem.”
42. Ghost (of Show Dem Camp) in “Cool Me Down” feat. Fasina (2019)
“But no matter what, your aura stays bliss
Makes me wanna be like Taye Diggs
The best man, word to this tattoo on my right hand
Love to reach those heights late at night when you (cool me down).”
41. Ladipoe in “Adore Her” feat. Funbi (2015)
“When we are old may our flame never die out
No, I’m gonna leave this place with your number
Like you’re gonna leave that church with my name
Is it just the kind of spell that I’m under
Got me feeling crazy girl I must say, baby.”
40. Adekunle Gold and Simi in “Look What You Made Me Do” (2023)
“Look at me now, a victim of my pride
I made a vow you’d never catch me falling
Oh, what a life, it caught me by surprise
Now I dream of you and my heart is throbbing.”
39. Efe Oraka in “Wonderland” (2020)
“Oh, your love takes me to Wonderland
I will follow you right down the rabbit hole
Oh, I come alive each time you hold my hand
There’s magic in your soul (2x).”
38. Tosin Martins in “Olo Mi” (2006)
“Mofe ba e d’arugbo, mofe ba e dale
Iwo ni mo fe ma jiri, l’ojojumo aiye mi.”
37. Styl-Plus in “Run Away” (2003)
“The reason I need the angels to talk to you for me is that you’re my angel
So maybe you will understand the angels
When they tell you how I feel.”
36. Johnny Drille in “Bad Dancer” (2021)
“I’m a bad dancer but I’d love to take you slow dancing
Into the starry night, and I’ll hold you so tightly and whisper into your ear
That you’re beautiful and heavenly
Baby, you are my song, hope the music never stops
‘Cause I’m deep in love.”
35. Asa in “Show Me Off” (2022)
“You’re like the beautiful sunrise in the morning
When i look into your eyes, they mesmerizes me
You remind me that i’m lucky, you’re the one I’m gonna live my life with.”
34. Simi in “Enough” with Falz (2016)
“Even when your head no want correct
Even when your pepper no dey rest
I hope say you no go forget?
Baby, you’re enough for me.”
33. Falz in “Enough” with Simi (2016)
“But thank you for your stubbornness
Now, I dey fit see, say na only when I dey with you
When I dey feel free, that’s when I can be comfortable, I can be me
And I still want to wake up with you when I be 60.”
32. Ajebutter22 in “Lagos Love” (2019)
“You be like plantain chips when I been in traffic all day
You be like 100 litres when fuel scarcity don dey
You be like NEPA bring light for one whole night and day
You be like road wey dem fix pothole just yesterday
You be like police wey no ask for bribe, conductor wey dey get change
I wonder where they found you.”
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31. Rema in “Lady” (2019)
“The moment I see you, na up nepa o
My baby o, my baby o.”
30. Waje in “UDUE” feat. Johnny Drille (2018)
“Oh, my darling, I’m so in love with you today
Oh, your eyes how they shine light into my soul
The way that you smile oh it makes me glow
Let us make this forever and after, my baby boo.”
29. TJan in “Aduke” (2016)
“Di iyawo mi Aduke, ma to ju e ayanfe mi
Girl, I made a promise to you, and you know I will be true
Di iyawo mi, Aduke mi oo.”
28. Tay Iwar in “True Love” by Wizkid (2020)
“My days, when I’m not with you baby
Oh, your love keeps me warm.”
27. Johnny Drille in “Angelina” feat. Fireboy DML (2025)
“I’m so glad that I listened to God
I’ll love you now and twice on Sunday.”
26. Kotrell in “Safe” (2025)
“I feel safe here in your arms
There’s no judgement for my scars and my home is where you are
‘Cause you choose me as I am.”
25. Bez in “More You” (2011)
“The more you, you smile for me
The more of you, I want for me and the more you
I want for me, the more you want me too.”
24. Ayra Starr in “Sare” (2021)
“Me and you will take over the world
Standing where no man can put asunder.”
23. Plantashun Boiz in “Iwo Ni Mofe (Baby, It’s You)” (2000)
“Baby, baby, baby I just want to let you know
That this heart of mine won’t let you go
‘Cause I need you as each day goes by.”
22. Ric Hassani in “Police” (2017)
“I know that you love me, so get the handcuff
I’d go to prison for the one that I love
And If you need me I’d give my life up for you
I know you’ve been searching for where to find love
And now you found me, I’m willing to die for you.”
21. Dwin, the Stoic in “Save My Soul” by TillDayBreak (2024
“I keep searching for love in all the wrong places
Seeing different faces, but it’s only you who will have my soul
And I’ll keep loving for you in hopes that I find you
‘Cause there’s nothing quite like you
Oh, it’s only you who’ll save my soul”
20. Daramola in “Lotto” (2017)
“I’ma dance with the stars tonight
Ko le ye won o, girl, you look so right
Salute the master oh
There must be a God ‘cause he made you right.”
19. Davido in “Aye” (2014)
“She no want designer, she no want Ferrari
She say na my love o!”
18. Runtown in “For Life” (2018)
“My doctor say my cure dey on top your body oh.”
17. Davido in “Ekuro” (2012)
“Ekuro lalabaku ewa, b’ojo n ro, b’orun n ran.”
16. Wande Coal in “Again” (2020)
“Baby girl, make you no dey lie
Make you tell your friends say you dey feel this guy
Don’t even waste time, ‘cause na me you go follow till the day we die
But meanwhile, I can’t wait to make your face just smile
It’s not a lie, you set my soul on fire.”
15. Fireboy DML in “ready” feat. Jon Batiste (2024)
“I’d be hanging too low if I were a fruit
I’ve been there for too long, waiting for just you.”
14. Ogranya in “Luna” (2020)
“This is what you feel like, you feel like the moonlight
‘Cause even when it’s darkest, you’re beautiful.”
13. Chike in “Running (To You)” feat. Simi (2020)
“Anybody wey wan fight you
Make them come, they already know
I′ll be right beside you
Like the wall of Jericho.”
12. Banky W in “Yes/No” (2013)
“I’m doing things I’ve never done
I’m giving all I have to give
I’m feeling like I found the one
Say you’ll be my lover, please.”
11. Sunny Nneji in “Oruka” (2003)
“Oruka ti d’owo naa
Di ololufe re mu, ko s’eni to le ya yin titi lai.”
10. Sean Tizzle in “Perfect Gentleman” (2014)
“Let me be your man till the end of time
Let me take you by the hand, walk you down the aisle
Let me kiss your lips before we sleep for night
Ooh baby, come with me a thousand miles.”
9. P-Square in “No One Like You” (2007)
“About a year ago before I met you
Girl there was no possibility for me to be rescued
But thank God I found you girl
I cannot do without you.”
8. Djinee in “I No Dey Shame” (2009)
“Make this smile show for your eye, cause person dey wey love
You fit dey sure of it! ‘Cause I no dey shame
I no dey shame for you.”
7. Sola Allyson in “Eji Owuro” (2003)
“Ife bi eji owuro
Lat’agbala Eledumare lo ti se wa
Ife to ro mini mini
Ta abawon aye o le baje o
Ololufe feran mi laisetan o.”
6. Boybreed in “GOLIATH” (2025)
“This kind love, na ein wey I desire
Only you, iwo ni kan ni mogbe saya
Be like you shoot me catapult, I don fall like Goliath.”
5. Lorraine Chia in “You’re Like Melody, My Heart Skips A Beat” by M.I Abaga (2018).
“In the middle of the night, you’re the star that lights my life
Everyone that I see, I know that they’re not here for me
You’re the only one I notice, taking all my focus
You’re like melody, my heart skips a beat.”
4. Paul Play in “Angel Of My Life” (2005)
“You’re the one I want, you’re the one I need
No more late night dreams, no more fantasy.”
3. Waje in “One Naira” by M.I Abaga (2010)
“Whether na one naira
Whether na one million
Baby, you got me, baby, you got me.”
2. Mr Raw in “In Love With An Angel” feat. T.J (2007)
“Sister, I am able and capable
And I will always make sure there is food on your table
Even if I get soup and stew for deep freezer
Me I go still waka comot go buy you pizza.”
1. 2Baba in “African Queen” (2004)
“Just like the sun lights up the earth, you light up my life.”
