Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has achieved another historic milestone by becoming the first African artiste ever to top the Billboard Global 200 Songs chart.
The Grammy Award-winning singer reached the landmark after his collaborative FIFA World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” featuring Colombian global superstar Shakira, climbed to No. 1 on the latest Billboard Global 200 rankings.
The achievement further cements Burna Boy’s place among the world’s biggest music stars and marks another major victory for Afrobeats on the international stage.
See the latest Billboard charts: https://www.billboard.com/charts/
Burna Boy makes Billboard history
The Billboard Global 200 chart ranks the most popular songs worldwide based on streaming and sales data collected from more than 200 territories.
By reaching the summit of the prestigious chart, Burna Boy has become the first African artiste to ever occupy the number-one position.
The success of “Dai Dai” represents one of the biggest global achievements ever recorded by an African musician.
The song’s popularity has continued to grow since its release, driven by the excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the powerful collaboration between Burna Boy and Shakira.
‘Dai Dai’ dominates multiple Billboard charts
In addition to topping the Billboard Global 200, the World Cup anthem also climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, making it the most popular song outside the United States.
The record also continues to gain momentum in America.
This week, “Dai Dai” jumped 12 places to reach a new peak of No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, one of the world’s most competitive music charts.
The steady rise suggests the song could continue climbing in the coming weeks as global interest remains high.
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Another major win for Afrobeats
Burna Boy’s latest accomplishment is widely regarded as another defining moment for Afrobeats, a genre that has experienced explosive international growth over the past decade.
Artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Tems, Rema and Asake have helped transform Nigerian music into a global force.
Burna Boy, in particular, has consistently broken international barriers through sold-out stadium tours, Grammy recognition, Billboard success and collaborations with some of the biggest names in world music.
His latest achievement further strengthens Nigeria’s growing influence on the global entertainment industry.
Tems also reaches another career milestone
While Burna Boy celebrates his record-breaking achievement, fellow Nigerian singer Tems is also enjoying impressive success on the international charts.
Her hit single “What You Need” climbed five places this week to reach a new peak of No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, after spending 15 weeks on the chart.
The song has also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and topped the Mediabase Urban Radio Airplay chart.
With these accomplishments, Tems has become the first solo African artiste to reach both milestones, further demonstrating the increasing global appeal of African music.
Burna Boy’s remarkable global journey
Over the years, Burna Boy has evolved from one of Nigeria’s brightest talents into one of Africa’s biggest musical exports.
Following the release of breakthrough projects including African Giant, Twice As Tall, Love, Damini, and I Told Them…, the singer has earned worldwide recognition for his unique blend of Afrobeats, reggae, dancehall and Afro-fusion.
He became the first Nigerian artiste to headline stadium concerts in several countries and has collaborated with international stars including Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Stormzy, J Hus and now Shakira.
Winning the Grammy Award for Twice As Tall in 2021 further elevated his global profile.
Afrobeats continues to dominate worldwide
The simultaneous success of Burna Boy and Tems highlights the continued global rise of Afrobeats.
Streaming numbers, international collaborations, sold-out arena tours and Billboard chart performances have become increasingly common for Nigerian artistes.
Industry observers believe the genre still has significant room for growth, with African musicians now competing directly alongside the world’s biggest pop stars on international charts.
For Burna Boy, becoming the first African artiste to top the Billboard Global 200 is another historic milestone in an already remarkable career—and one that is likely to inspire a new generation of African musicians to dream even bigger.
