Temilade Openiyi achieves milestone as African’s top-selling female artist, cementing her legacy with unmatched success

July 25, 2025

Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, is now the best-selling female African artist.

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Temilade Openiyi, who launched her music career in 2018, has now surpassed industry veterans like Angelique Kidjo, Tiwa Savage, and Yemi Alade to become the most commercially successful African female artist, according to charts’ data.
From available data, the Grammy-winning singer has sold over 25 million units worldwide.

Some of Temilade Openiyi certifications include ‘Essence’ 5x Platinum in USA (5 million units), ‘Wait For U’ 3x Platinum in USA (3 million units), ‘Free Mind’ 2x Platinum in USA (2 million), and ‘Higher’ Platinum in USA (1 million).

Nigerian artiste and Grammy winner, Tems

She also has numerous Platinum and Gold certifications in the UK, Canada, France, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, and South Africa.

Meanwhile, Algeria’s Cheb Khaled remains the best selling African artist with 81 million units, followed by Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid with 75 million units.