Bella Shmurda Decries Soaring Cost of Music Promotion, Says Artists Now Fear Dropping Albums

|By Queen Banigo

Popular Nigerian singer Bella Shmurda has raised alarm over the skyrocketing cost of music promotion, warning that many artists are becoming reluctant to release new albums due to financial pressure.

Speaking in an interview on Naija FM Lagos, the ‘Cash App’ hitmaker revealed that the current cost of shooting a standard music video now starts from ₦20 million, making album rollouts extremely capital-intensive.

Bella Shmurda noted that while promoting a single is manageable, pushing a 10 to 14-track album demands an overwhelming budget, covering radio promotion and multiple video shoots — a financial stretch most rising acts simply cannot afford.

“Promoting songs on the radio, shooting videos for five, six songs — it’s a lot. These days, the least you can spend on a music video is ₦20 million. So, how many artists can afford to shoot five videos?” he asked.

He warned that unless the Nigerian music ecosystem becomes more affordable and structured, artists may start avoiding full-length projects entirely, a move that could slow the industry’s creative growth.