Nigerian music journalist Joey Akan says Davido’s just-launched 5ive Alive Tour Nigeria run marks a turning point for homegrown touring in the “Afrobeats to the World” era—arguing it reconnects superstar pop with the fans who built it.
Davido
“Davido is the first of the Big 3 to finally tour Nigerian cities… After years of neglect in the live department, a new generation of Nigerian music fans finally has a chance at seeing their best artists perform live at accessible concerts,” Akan noted, calling the singer’s city choices “symbolic” and “cardinal.”
Why these cities matter
Akan broke down the route as a deliberate national statement: Uyo (South), Enugu (East), Lagos and Ibadan (West), and a surprise northern stop in Adamawa, where many expected Abuja. Beyond optics, he said the timing is bold in a year when “macroeconomic forces have decimated disposable income,” framing the tour as both marketing and “a labour of love.”
The economics behind the bet
He expects ticketing to function as crowd control, with “core cost of production” underwritten by corporate partners including CANEX (Afreximbank), Wema, GAC, Guinness, and Martell. That backing, he suggested, is what makes a large-scale, multi-city Nigerian trek feasible right now.
A wider touring revival
Akan—multi-award-winning critic and founder of Afrobeats Intelligence—said he’s “overjoyed” to see the domestic touring spirit reawaken, noting earlier 2025 runs from rising acts Llona and Odumodublvck. “The audience deserves to see their biggest stars live, and I’m overjoyed that Davido is taking the risk of making it come together,” he said.
The road ahead
Davido’s 5ive Alive Nigeria dates: Oct. 26 (Akwa Ibom), Oct. 29 (Adamawa), Nov. 1 (Enugu), Nov. 9 (Ibadan), and Dec. 25 (Lagos festival). If the show lands as planned, Akan’s thesis is clear: the tour could reset expectations for how Nigeria’s elite artists serve their core market—at home, in full voice, city by city.
