Nigerian comedian AY has revealed that some music stars now demand as much as N200 million to perform at his AY Live comedy show.
He also disclosed that emerging artistes, who are yet to become major stars, can now charge up to N80 million for appearances.
AY made the revelation while discussing the rising cost of booking Nigerian musicians for AY Live over the years.
According to the comedian, the entertainment industry has changed significantly. He said artists who once performed through personal relationships now command huge appearance fees.
AY said Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Olamide have all performed at AY Live.
He explained that personal connections played an important role in securing some of their appearances in the past.
However, the situation has changed as the Nigerian music industry has grown. Major artistes now attract large audiences, streaming numbers and commercial opportunities.
As a result, their performance fees have also increased.
AY’s comments highlight the growing financial demands of staging major entertainment events in Nigeria.
For comedy shows that rely on music performances to attract large audiences, artiste fees can form a significant part of production costs.
The revelation also shows how much the value of Nigerian music stars has changed within the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, AY’s disclosure has drawn attention to the increasing commercialisation of live entertainment in Nigeria.
While established stars command millions of naira, younger artistes are also entering negotiations with much higher financial expectations.
The comments have therefore raised questions about how event organisers manage rising performance costs while keeping ticket prices affordable for audiences.
For AY Live, the challenge is balancing star power, production costs and audience expectations as the Nigerian entertainment industry continues to expand.
