Bella Shmurda Decries Soaring Cost of Music Promotion

Nigerian singer Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi, popularly known as Bella Shmurda, has voiced concern over the increasing cost of promoting music in the country.

The Cash App crooner said the situation has made many artists hesitant to release new projects, especially full-length albums, due to the high financial demands of production and promotion.

Speaking in a recent interview, Bella Shmurda explained that the cost of shooting a standard music video now starts at around ₦20 million, making it difficult for many artists to sustain consistent releases.

“To release an album, you need a huge budget, unlike singles. For albums, you’re promoting 10 to 14 songs all at once — it’s a lot,” he said.

He added that promoting songs on radio and producing multiple videos could cost a fortune.

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“These days, the least you can spend on a music video is ₦20 million. So, how many artists can afford to shoot five or six videos?” he asked.

The singer emphasised that without strong financial backing, many talented musicians are forced to slow down their creative output or stick to singles rather than full albums.