Mr Eazi says dollar billionaire status could come 'anytime now'

Mr Eazi says he already qualifies as a billionaire in naira, and he expects the same to be true in US dollars before long.

The singer spoke about his money and his music in an interview with Ras Kwame of Capital XTRA, which Punch and Legit.ng both reported on Thursday.

Asked whether he was on course to become Afrobeats' first dollar billionaire, he said the answer hinged on which currency was meant. When the interviewer put it to him that he had already crossed the naira mark, he agreed. On dollars, he said that would arrive soon, and later put it at "anytime now".

Why it matters to fans

Afrobeats has grown into a global export, and its stars now earn from tours, streams, endorsements and side businesses. When an artist talks openly about building wealth, it feeds a wider conversation among young Nigerians about entrepreneurship and how far music money can stretch.

Mr Eazi, whose real name is Oluwatosin Ajibade, is as known for business as for songs. In the interview he acknowledged a stake in a UK ticketing company.

But he was clear that hitting billionaire status in dollars is not what drives him. He said he is not chasing that figure and that it is not his target. What he values more, he said, is the life he has and the room to make and release music as he pleases. Freedom, he said, means a great deal to him, both in his music and in how he puts it out.

The conversation also turned to comparisons with American rapper Jay-Z. Mr Eazi seemed at ease with being called Africa's version of the star. He drew a light parallel between his marriage to Temi Otedola and Jay-Z's marriage to Beyoncé, saying Jay-Z is Jay-Z while he is Mr Eazi, and that where Jay-Z has Beyoncé, he has Temi.

Neither outlet gave a figure for his wealth, and there has been no independent confirmation of his financial standing. His remarks were his own account of where he believes he stands.

What happens next is mostly down to his music and his investments. Fans will watch whether the dollar milestone follows, and whether his next releases come out on his own terms, as he says he wants.