As far as the Nigerian music industry is concerned, there are the Big Three: Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido.
When these guys announce a tour, nobody really asks whether tickets will sell. The only question is how quickly they’ll disappear.
But if we’re being honest, there is another name that’s starting to force his way into that conversation.
Asake.
Just a few years ago, he was the new kid with a unique sound and a string of street anthems. Today, he’s one of the most talked-about artists in Africa, with hit records, sold-out shows, and a fanbase that keeps getting bigger.
The album didn’t just perform well. It broke streaming records, generated conversations across multiple countries, and reminded everyone just how much demand exists for Asake right now.
Which raises an interesting question:
If the M$NEY album is this big, what happens when those songs hit the stage?
Today on Bold Beautiful Naija, we look at why the M$NEY album may have set the foundation for the biggest tour of Asake’s career so far.
M$NEY Gave Asake Something Every Tour Needs: Momentum
If you’re wondering why so many people believe Asake’s In God We Trust tour could be massive, the answer starts with one word:
Figure 2: Record-breaking momentum heading into a major tour cycle.
Momentum.
And right now, very few artists in Africa have more of it than Asake.
M$NEY didn’t arrive quietly. From the moment it dropped, the numbers started flying. The album pulled over 13 million Spotify streams on its first day and went on to break multiple streaming records across Nigeria. Within weeks, it had crossed hundreds of millions of streams globally, further cementing Asake’s position as one of the continent’s most dominant artists.
Read also: How Upcoming Nigerian Artists Blow on TikTok.
But streaming numbers only tell part of the story.
What makes M$NEY such a powerful touring album is the music itself.
Songs like Worship, Asambe, Badman Gangsta, and Gratitude don’t sound like records made for small rooms. They sound like records built for arenas, festival stages, and massive crowds singing every word back to the artist.
You can also hear Asake thinking bigger than before.
The collaborations with DJ Snake, Kabza De Small, and Tiakola expand his reach beyond Nigeria while still keeping the core of his sound intact. The result is an album that feels local enough for Lagos and global enough for London, Paris, Toronto, and New York.
And that’s exactly what large tours are built on.
Not just hit songs.
But demand across multiple markets at the same time.
M$NEY has given Asake both.
The In God We Trust Tour Venues Tell the Real Story
The M$NEY Album streams are impressive.
But if you really want to understand how big Asake has become, don’t look at Spotify.
Look at the venues.
Figure 3: The venue list reveals how far the brand has grown.
Shortly after the success of M$NEY, Asake announced his In God We Trust World Tour, and the schedule reveals something very important: this is no longer the rollout of an artist trying to break into global markets.
This is the rollout of an artist already operating inside them.
We’re talking about stops at some of the most recognisable venues in North America and Europe. Places that only a few Nigerian artists have consistently been able to headline at scale.
The M$NEY tour includes major cities like Toronto, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, London, and Paris. Even more interesting is the choice of venues. The Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The O₂ Arena in London. These are not small rooms being used to test demand.
These are serious venues built for major artists.
And then there’s Uncle Waffles.
Adding one of Amapiano’s biggest global ambassadors to several North American dates instantly broadens the appeal of the tour beyond Asake’s core audience. It creates the kind of cross-African attraction that modern global tours thrive on.
That’s why this tour feels different.
It’s not simply bigger because M$NEY was successful.
It’s bigger because every sign points to Asake entering a new commercial bracket altogether.
The kind of bracket where arena tours become the expectation rather than the exception.
Why Bringing Uncle Waffles Along Was a Smart Move
Now, let’s talk about one decision that may not be getting enough attention.
Uncle Waffles joining several dates on the M$NEY tour.
Figure 4: Two powerful fanbases under one roof.
On the surface, it looks like a simple guest addition. But when you look closely, it’s actually a very smart business move.
For starters, Asake and Amapiano have become almost inseparable.
Some of his biggest records over the last few years have borrowed heavily from the South African sound. Even on M$NEY, songs like Asambe show just how comfortable he has become blending Afrobeats melodies with Amapiano rhythms.
So bringing one of the biggest faces in Amapiano onto the M$NEY tour feels natural.
But it goes beyond the music.
Uncle Waffles has built a huge international following of her own. She attracts a different audience, a different community, and a different type of concertgoer. When you combine that audience with Asake’s already massive fanbase, the potential ticket demand becomes significantly larger.
And that’s important when you’re booking venues like Barclays Center, Scotiabank Arena, and The O₂.
You need more than fans.
You need an event.
That’s what this pairing creates.
Instead of simply selling an Asake concert, the M$NEY tour becomes a broader celebration of two of Africa’s biggest musical exports: Afrobeats and Amapiano.
And in today’s live music business, experiences sell faster than performances.
Has Asake Entered the Arena Tier?
A few years ago, the idea of putting Asake in the same touring conversation as Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido would have sounded premature.
Not anymore.
Figure 5: From hitmaker to global touring force.
The success of M$NEY has given him something every major touring artist needs: undeniable demand. The album broke records, expanded his global footprint, and delivered the kind of songs that feel built for live performance.
But perhaps the strongest evidence isn’t the streaming numbers.
It’s the M$NEY tour venues.
From Toronto and New York to London and Paris, the In God We Trust World Tour is targeting arenas and major venues that only a handful of African artists can consistently fill. Add the strategic partnership with Uncle Waffles, and what emerges is more than a concert series.
It’s a statement.
Whether every date sells out or not, one thing is becoming increasingly clear:
Asake is no longer chasing the global stage.
He’s already standing on it.
Disclaimer
This article contains editorial analysis and opinion based on publicly available tour information, album performance data, audience trends, and industry observations. Attendance figures, ticket sales, and overall tour performance may vary as additional dates and official reports become available.
Up Next
MAVO — The Nigerian Artist Making Luxury Music.
While many artists compete for attention through volume and virality, MAVO has quietly built a reputation around something different: premium sound, polished storytelling, and music that feels expensive from the very first listen. We explore how he created one of the most distinctive identities in modern Afrobeats.
