No top 20 list can reflect everyone’s opinion, but after careful consideration, I came up with a list of my own. The list does not imply that one song is better than another; it only highlights the significance of one song over the others. By significance, I mean the overall impact of the single on the Nigerian music industry. Some songs laid the foundation for the success of other records or acts.

20. Da grin – Pon Pon

Da Grin broke the monopoly of Afrobeat and highlife to serve a kind of hip hop never seen in the country before. Although he wasn’t the first known person to rap in Yoruba, his music was heavily influenced by street/thug life, which made him very unique. He was respected among his colleagues and was touted as the King of the Streets.

19. D’Banj feat. Snoop Dogg – Mr Endowed Remix

D’banj’s song featuring Snoop Dogg paved the way for Nigerian artistes to collaborate with their USA counterparts. The single also laid the foundation for D’banj’s collaboration with Kanye West.

18. Sound Sultan – Mathematics

Sound Sultan’s single Mathematics is a major part of every Nigerian’s growing up. He took people’s minds off love songs and party songs to address some of Nigeria’s socio-political issues. Sound Sultan creatively used the mathematical acronym BODMAS to proffer solutions to the country’s problems.

17. Baba Fryo – Denge Pose

Baba Fryo’s Denge Pose was an instant hit when he released it. It was part of the galala movement of the late ’90s, which started in Ajegunle, Lagos.

16. P. Square – Senorita

P-Square set the standard for dance videos in Nigeria. The twin brothers, Peter and Paul, entered the music scene with the single Senorita and quickly gained people’s love and attention.

15. Plantashun Boiz – Somebody say

This is arguably the first successful boy group from Nigeria. The group comprises 2Face Idibia, Faze, and Blackface. The group went on to achieve a lot of success together but eventually broke up along the line; each member is now chasing a solo career.

14. Styl-Plus – Olufunmi

Styl-Plus is a Nigerian R&B group that rocked the country in the early 2000s. The single Olufunmi is one of the biggest singles to come out of Africa.

13. 9ice-Gongo Aso

Gongo Aso was the biggest single in Nigeria between 2008–2009. It took 9ice to legendary status, with a lot of people expecting him to bring home a Grammy.

12 . Lagbaja – Konko Below

No Nigerian dance floor was spared when Lagbaja dropped the single Konko Below. The vibe of the song was infectious, and to this day, you will still find it at major events.

11. Faze – Originality

After Plantashun Boiz broke up, each member set out to prove they could function alone. Faze had a good run, releasing several hits that placed him among the greatest musicians ever to come out of Nigeria. In many quarters, Originality was his biggest hit. The single pays tribute to Nigerian music legends before him.

10. Eedris Abdulkareem -Wackawikee MCs

This is one of the most relevant records to come out of Nigeria, especially considering the fact that it set off a trend of major events that would change the face of rap music and the music business in general in Nigeria. Eedris called out members of Plantashun Boiz, and it received massive airplay and created a lot of buzz.

9. Modenine – Cry

This is the song that made Nigerians believe that made-in-Nigeria boom-bap rap music could gain international acceptance and recognition. Aside from selling several copies, Cry won a lot of international awards and endorsements for Modenine. His storytelling abilities were in full swing; he kept it real and emotional. I was deeply touched by the lyrics of this song. It remains one of the greatest hip hop records from Nigeria.

8. Tribesmen – Plenty Nonsense

This is the first and only official Trybesmen video ever released. Due to the unprecedented success gained by this single, Eldee developed into one of the biggest music businessmen in the country and Africa at large. Plenty Nonsense was the biggest single in Nigeria.

7. Mr.Incredible – Safe

When this record dropped, the entire country was shook. “Who in the world is M.I, and where did he come from?” was the question on everyone’s lips. Chocolate City had unleashed a beast. He sounded far ahead of every competitor. M.I heralded a new era of rap music in Nigeria; he was very successful commercially, and it changed the perception that rappers could not be commercially successful.

6. Banky W. – Ebute Metta

Although this wasn’t an original composition, it still rocked the airwaves in Nigeria and received massive airplay from radio OAPs and DJs. After the success of this single, Banky W. would later grow to become Chairman at EME Music, which is responsible for nurturing one of Africa’s biggest talents at the moment, Ayo Balogun (Wizkid).

5. Daddy Showkey – Somebody Call My Name

This became the national anthem in Nigeria. Everyone was dancing to this track and doing the galala dance step. Daddy Showkey is another artiste in the Ajegunle galala movement who became a national star. He came from the ghettos in Lagos and became a household name in Nigeria. Daddy Showkey brought the ghetto to national TV. Up till today, his shows are packed, and his performances are still lit. He is regarded as a legend by music lovers.

4. Wizkid – Holla at your boy

He is the youngest on the list but arguably has the most hits and has sold the most records. Wizkid needs no introduction; he is the most sought-after artiste in Africa. When his first single, Holla at Your Boy, dropped under E.M.E Records, we all knew a star had been born.

3. Tony tetuila – omode meta n sere

Tony Tetuila was kicked out of his group, The Remedies, because he had requested to be considered a singer instead of a dancer. The group refused his request, so he decided to go solo. He released a single titled Omode Meta featuring Tuface Idibia, Blackface, and Ruff, Rugged & Raw. The highly controversial single is responsible for bringing Tuface and Tony Tetuila into the limelight.

2.Ruggedman ft Nomoreloss – Ehen

Ehen is one of the most controversial songs of our time. It was definitely a turning point for hip hop in Nigeria, something like Jay-Z’s Death of Autotune. We could divide the rap timeline into “Before Ehen” and “After Ehen.” Ruggedman was warring with the powers that be in the music industry. He lyrically attacked Kennis Music acts like Eedris Abdulkareem and Rasqie, and also called out Maintain and Big Bamo. He made it clear he was in this to take the crown. Ehen was cold and reformed the entire music business, including giving power to independent artists.

RIP Nomoreloss.

1. 2Face – African Queen

Without a doubt in my mind, African Queen by Tuface is the most relevant record in recent times. It is the first Nigerian song to win major awards in Europe and America and was featured on the soundtrack of several Hollywood movies. African Queen helped shed light on the work Nigerian acts were doing and opened the doors for more international collaborations.