Nigerian gospel singer and worship leader Pastor Nathaniel Bassey has become the first African gospel singer to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube, 15 years after the channel was created on March 4, 2011.
Statistics from his official YouTube channel, Nathaniel Bassey Main, showed that it had accumulated at least 1.014 billion views as of Sunday, November 1, 2026. The channel also had 5.24 million subscribers.
The milestone coincides with the October 2026 edition of the Hallelujah Challenge, the online prayer and worship programme founded by the cleric in 2017, which has attracted participants from Nigeria and different parts of the world.
His musical career has gained widespread acclaim for his distinctive and gripping approach to singing. Nathaniel Bassey creatively combines the use of trumpets to compose and broadcast worship songs and hymns that have become so prominent across the continent and across the world.
The growth of social media channels including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X, has made it possible for musicians to share their music and interact with their fans without having to travel to where the fans are. YouTube has particularly helped musicians connect with fans and distribute their videos to millions of viewers without the traditional reliance on live audiences, music CDs and live audiences.
Why Nathaniel Bassey Doesn’t Monetise His Channel
Notably, Nathaniel Bassey says that he does not intend to monetise his channel. At a time when most creators are flocking to the platform for monetisation opportunities, his decision is intriguing to many. He says his key objective is to minister to the masses rather than create music for the sole purpose of getting money from it.
In a past interview, Nathaniel Bassey maintained that he has not received any divine instructions to monetise the channel.
“People are dragging me because I didn’t monetise my YouTube channel. I won’t monetise it; God didn’t tell me to,” he said.
Online streaming and social media have created opportunities for YouTube creators across the world with most creators, especially in Kenya, making a living and investments off the platform. The good thing with YouTube is that it is made to expose audiences to multiple age groups and audiences across the world.
Across the continent, musicians are professionalising content creation to have maximum benefits from the streaming platform. In Kenya, Social Media influencers collectively earned more than Ksh1.07 billion from social media platforms. Some of the highest earners include Eric Omondi, Amber Ray, Crazy Kennar and Dem Wa FB.
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