Music video directors in Nigeria are now enjoying more recognition and public attention compared to the past when they were relatively unknown behind-the-scenes figures.
The significance of music videos in Nigeria is undeniable. While fans appreciate hit songs and albums, the anticipation for the visual aspect of each song is equally high. This heightened demand for top-notch visuals has turned music video directors into sought-after professionals as artists aim to deliver the best visual experiences to their audiences.
In the past, cinematographers often played the role of music video directors without receiving the credit they deserved. However, the landscape has evolved, and now video directors are rightfully acknowledged for their crucial contributions. Their works have become so distinctive that their style is easily recognizable even without checking the video credits.
Some of the most in-demand music video directors in Nigeria are chosen based on their body of work, fame, and pricing. See them below.
1. Clarence Peters
Clarence Peters stands as a prominent figure in the music video directing industry, often credited with paving the way for the recognition of the true worth of music video directors.
Born to Nigerian Afro-Juju musician, Shina Peters and Nollywood actress, ClarionChukwuka, Clarence pursued cinematography at a film school in Cape Town, South Africa. Returning to Nigeria, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Alliance Film Company, now known as the Allied Film Company, alongside a group of filmmakers.
With over two decades of experience, Clarence Peters boasts a portfolio of directing over 50 high-quality HD music videos. Notably, he commands a significant fee for his services, reportedly charging up to 6 million Naira.
His extensive list of collaborations includes A-list artists in Nigeria such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Kizz Daniel, Davido, Wizkid, and many others.
With a consistent track record and widespread acclaim for his work, Clarence Peters remains one of the most sought-after music video directors in Nigeria.
2. TG Omori
TG Omori, also known as Boy Director, emerges as a rising star in the music video directing sector, gaining recognition as one of the top directors in the country. Born ThankGod Omori Jesam, the 28-year-old cinematographer, originally from Cross River State, grew up in Agungi, Lagos State, amidst a middle-class background.
Embarking on his journey as a video director at the young age of 15, TG Omori oversaw stage plays in his school and church. His passion for video production led him to enter the field professionally after graduating from the PEFTI Film Institute at the age of 18, making him one of Nigeria’s youngest professional filmmakers at the time.
Over the years, Omori has made a significant impact on the entertainment industry, directing numerous chart-topping videos for various Nigerian celebrities. Notable among his works are videos for hits like “Soapy” and “Am I A Yahoo Boy” by Naira Marley, “Totori” by Olamide ft Wizkid, and “Billionaire” by Teni.
Other acclaimed music videos under his belt include Asake’s “Peace Be Unto You“, Rema’s “Are You There?“, Ololade Asake’s “Sungba“, Fireboy DML’s “Playboy“, and Kizz Daniel’s “BUGA“.
Having garnered several awards, TG Omori is now one of the most sought-after music video directors in Nigeria, and it comes as no surprise that he plans to charge as much as 1 million dollars per video shoot.
3. Daps
Daps, born Oladapo Fagbenle, secures a spot among the most sought-after music video directors in Nigeria, lauded for his remarkable diversity. The Nigerian-born British director initiated his career as a video producer in New York and London before establishing himself in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Daps is renowned for directing chart-topping music videos both in Nigeria and internationally. His extensive portfolio includes collaborations with global superstars like Migos, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, Stormzy, IggyAzalea, and Afrobeats icons such as Wizkid, Patoranking, and Davido.
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One of his notable achievements is directing the video for Migos’ “Bad and Boujee“, amassing over 67 million views on YouTube and counting. Despite his reputation for being “quite expensive and not for everybody”, Daps’s top projects include music videos for “Fall” by Davido, “Come Closer” by Wizkid featuring Drake, “Close Friends” by Lil Baby, and “Double Tap” by Jordin Sparks featuring 2 Chainz.
4. Dammy Twitch
Dammy Twitch has swiftly ascended to become one of the most sought-after music video directors in recent years. His journey began as a photographer in 2013, and in 2017, he delved into video directing while interning for DirectorQ.
Renowned for his explicit music videos, Dammy Twitch has collaborated with top artists such as Davido, Olamide, Falz, Burna Boy, Mayorkun, Peruzzi, Zlatan Ibile, Dremo, Lil Kesh, Victor AD, and more.
Among his notable projects are Davido’s “FEM“, “Jowo“, and “Stand Strong“, featuring The Samples, along with Naira Marley’s “Montego Bay video“. At the age of 28, Dammy Twitch earned a spot on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for 2022.
5. Moe Musa
Mohammed Musa, widely recognized as Moe Musa, stands as one of the veteran and renowned figures in Nigeria’s video-directing realm. Holding the distinction of being one of Nigeria’s premier music video directors, Moe Musa has lent his expertise to numerous projects.
A graduate in Media Technology from Thames Valley University, United Kingdom, Moe Musa has collaborated with A-list superstars across Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, France, Cyprus, and America. His breakthrough came with the direction of the chart-topping 2009 Fuse O2DG song and music video “Antenna“. Additionally, he owns a production company for movies and videos known as the UK and Afrobeat Music Culture Online Video Broadcaster.
Moe Musa’s portfolio includes iconic projects like “Skelewu” by Davido, “Azonto” by Wizkid, “Wanted” by Tiwa Savage, and “Diaspora” by 2Baba. His stature as one of the most expensive music video directors in Nigeria further solidifies his position in the industry.
6. Meji Alabi
Meji Alabi stands as a prominent figure in Nigeria’s music video directing industry, renowned for his creative prowess. He has left an indelible mark with visually stunning music videos for A-list artists such as Wizkid, MaleekBerry, Tiwa Savage, Runtown, Asa, Mr. Eazi, Seyi Shay, and more.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Alabi’s diverse background includes living in London and Texas. This cultural blend enhances his ability to connect African and Western markets through various visual mediums, encompassing music videos, photography, advertising campaigns, magazine editorials, and artist branding.
Among his recent notable projects are “Monsters We Made” by Burna Boy featuring Chris Martin, “49-99” by Tiwa Savage, and “Smile” by Wizkid featuring H.E.R.
Notably, Meji Alabi contributed to Beyoncé‘s “Black is King” video project, showcasing his global impact in the world of visual storytelling.
KCee has a new album called “Mr. Versatile“. This name shows that KCee is good at doing many different types of music. He can change with the music industry, which is always changing.
KCee is a Nigerian singer who has been making music for 20 years. He has become very famous in Nigeria because he keeps changing his style and making popular songs.
Many other singers worked with KCee on this album. These singers come from different countries. Didi B is from France. Kanika Kapoor is from India. Oxlade, Skibii, Teni, OdumoduBlvck, and Ijaya are all from Nigeria like KCee. Diamond Platnumz is from Tanzania. OneRepublic is a group from the United States.
KCee started singing 25 years ago. He first sang in a church choir.
That’s where he met Presh, who used to be in a band with him. Their first album was gospel music. Later, they changed to rap and Afropop music.
KCee’s father was a pastor and a DJ. He also owned stores that sold music. This probably helped KCee become interested in music.
The “Mr. Versatile” album is about going back to where you came from. It’s about being proud of your culture. It’s also about growing and changing as a person and as a musician.
The album has different types of music in it. There’s highlife, dancehall, and Afropop. KCee hopes this music will make people happy, especially people who grew up watching old Nigerian movies.
“I am thrilled to share ‘Mr. Versatile with my fans,” says KCee. “This album represents a journey of creativity and growth, and I cannot wait for everyone to experience the music that I have poured my heart and soul into.”
KCee shows that getting older can be a good thing. As he grows older, he finds new ways to achieve his old dreams. He does this by wanting to change and grow.
“Mr. Versatile” is KCee’s new album. He wants this album to make people feel happy. He hopes the songs will be good to listen to during important moments in people’s lives.
The album does what KCee wanted it to do. When you listen to it, you feel happy and carefree. It’s a fun album to hear.
‘Mr. Versatile’ Album Tracklist
Hypnotize (Produced by Shugavybz)
Finally Finally (Produced by Shugavybz)
Feel Am ft. Didi B (Produced by JaySynths)
Obalende (Produced by JaySynths)
Better Mama (Produced by JaySynths)
Big Fish (Produced by Masterkraft)
Motor ft. KanikaKapoor (Produced by JaySynths)
Level Up (Produced by Shugavybz)
I Pray (Produced by JaySynths)
Into You (Produced by Runcheck)
Slow Mo (Produced by JaySynths)
Agenda (Produced by Spotless)
Ganja Man (Produced by Jazzwad)
Sista Blessing (Produced by JaySynths)
Ebelebe ft. Teni, Skibii (Produced by JaySynths)
Hallelujah (Produced by Spotless)
Ojapiano Remix ft. DiamondPlatnumz, OdumoduBlvck (Produced by JaySynths)
Ojapiano Remix ft. OneRepublic (Produced by JaySynths)
Yemi Alade has just released a new album called “Rebel Queen“. She is a famous singer from Nigeria, known all over the world. Yemi Alade is very popular in Africa. Her music makes people happy and shows off her African background.
“Rebel Queen” is Yemi Alade’s sixth album. The name of the album shows how much she loves being African.
In this album, Yemi Alade mixes many types of music. She uses Afropop, Dancehall, Amapiano, Lingala, Afrobeats, reggae, and R&B. This mix of sounds will make people all over the world enjoy her music.
People call Yemi Alade “Mama Africa” because she celebrates African culture. In “Rebel Queen”, she sings in many languages. She uses Yoruba, English, Igbo, French, and Swahili. This shows she wants to share African music with everyone.
The “Rebel Queen” album has many different feelings in it. It talks about many parts of life.
Some songs on the album are special. “Karibu” is a song that praises Africa. “Tomorrow,” tells people to live in the present. “Happy Day” is about being happy even when things are hard. “African Woman” celebrates strong African women. “Peace and Love” asks people to be kind to each other.
The album has 16 songs. Some songs have other famous singers in them. Angélique Kidjo sings in “African Woman”. Ziggy Marley sings in “Peace and Love”. Innoss’B sings in “Lipeka”. Konshens sings in “Baddie” remix. These songs show how Yemi Alade can work with different types of music.
Yemi Alade has worked hard to make “Rebel Queen”. It shows how brave and original she is. She has become very successful in a job where there are more men than women.
After her “African Baddie” tour around the world, Yemi Alade is now going on a “Rebel Tour”. “Rebel Queen” is a very important album for her. It shows that she is one of the best singers in Africa.
Burna Boy is a prominent African musician who has achieved global superstar status through his award-winning music and record-breaking concerts. On July 26, 2024, YouTube will host a special livestream event called “YouTube Music Nights presents Burna Boy” to celebrate his 5th album, “African Giant.”
Global superstar artists in intimate settings feature in the YouTube Music Nights program. These events aim to create exciting live video content that highlights the special connection between artists and their fans. Burna Boy has amassed a following of 5 million subscribers on YouTube. He will perform in this intimate setting to celebrate the hits from his “African Giant” album.
“African Giant” was released in 2019 and marked a significant milestone in Burna Boy’s career. The album catapulted him to international fame. It earned him a nomination for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards. The album produced several hit songs that contributed to its success. These hits include “On The Low,” “Gbona,” “Dangote,” “Killing Dem” featuring Zlatan, and “Anybody.”
Burna Boy has expressed enthusiasm about participating in this upcoming YouTube Music Nights event. He said,
“Celebrating the 5th anniversary of ‘African Giant’ with a special performance in London, supported by YouTube Music, has been an incredible experience. This album holds a special place in my heart as it represents a pivotal moment in my career and a powerful statement of African pride.”
“We are thrilled to present Burna Boy on YouTube Music Nights, celebrating the 5th anniversary of his groundbreaking album, African Giant,” said Addy Awofisayo, Head of Music at YouTube in Africa.
Burna Boy’s YouTube channel will exclusively stream the celebration. Fans around the world can watch it there.
