Tems becomes first Nigerian female artist to sell 10m units in US

Nigerian singer and songwriter Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has become the first female Nigerian artist to sell over 10 million units of a single in the United States.

The feat was confirmed on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, by Chart Data on X (formerly Twitter), which announced that “WAIT FOR U”, her collaborative hit with American rapper Future and Canadian superstar Drake, had officially surpassed the 10 million sales milestone.

The track, which also earned Tems a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance, represents another defining moment in Tems fast-rising global career.

Earlier this year, she also became the first African female artist to surpass one billion streams on Spotify, underlining her growing dominance in the international music scene.

Tems first rose to global recognition in 2020 after featuring on Wizkid’s chart-topping single “Essence”, which broke into the Billboard Hot 100 and earned multiple Grammy nominations.

She began her music journey in 2018 with her debut single “Mr Rebel.”

Currently, Tems is on her 2025–2026 world tour, which kicked off on September 28. The tour includes stopped in cities such as Nairobi, Salvador (Brazil), and Los Angeles, where she was set to perform at the iconic Dodger Stadium.

In a post on X after her performance in Kenya, she wrote, “Kenya! The love has been insane! I love you so much. Till next time.”

Wizkid remains the first Nigerian male artist to hit the same milestone. His collaboration with Drake on “One Dance” was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2022 after selling over 10 million units in the U.S.