Nigerian music executive and talent manager Asa Asika has described Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, as the most influential Nigerian under the age of 40.
Asika made the remarks while appearing on the Manager’s Playbook podcast hosted by Mauricio Ruiz, where he reflected on Davido’s career, public profile and ability to maintain his relevance despite controversies.
According to the talent manager, social media provides one of the clearest measures of Davido’s influence. He noted that the singer remains one of the most followed Nigerian artists across major social media platforms, giving him an unmatched level of visibility both within and outside the entertainment industry.
Asika also pointed to Davido’s resilience in the face of public scandals as another indication of his influence. He argued that some of the controversies Davido has faced throughout his career could have permanently damaged the careers of other entertainers.
“Davido is probably the most influential person from Nigeria under 40, in my opinion,” Asika said.
He acknowledged that people could have different views depending on how influence is measured, but maintained that social media popularity offers a useful metric in the current digital era.
“Some people will argue about other things, but let’s use the most popular metric today, which is social media. Davido is the most-followed [Nigerian] artist on almost every platform,” he said.
Beyond his large online following, Asika highlighted the singer’s commercial appeal, describing Davido as a “walking billboard” whose association is sought by major brands.
He further revealed that Davido’s commercial value has benefited the singer’s music projects, noting that the team has not had to fund a music video from its own money in a long time.
According to Asika, the singer’s influence has become so significant that he occasionally jokes with Davido about having a level of influence comparable to that of Nigeria’s president.
“I say to him all the time, ‘You do know you’re kinda like the President of Nigeria?’” he said.
Asika and Davido have maintained a longstanding professional and personal relationship, with the manager playing a significant role in the singer’s career. His latest comments further underscore his view of Davido’s reach and staying power within Nigeria’s entertainment landscape.
