Spotify is Set to Launch in 40 Additional African Countries

Spotify has recently announced that it will be expanding into 85 new markets across Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. The announcement was made through its online event today titled "Stream On". Previously only available in South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia, Spotify will now be available in 40 additional countries including Kenya, Angola, Benin, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Gabon, Nigeria and more.

READ: Spotify Now Has an 'Afro Hub' Playlist Section

According to Variety, Spotify will avail its global music catalogue to these new markets in addition to ensuring its podcasting catalogue is accessible to the majority of them. The streaming giant will also reportedly work with local creators in order to meet each market's unique needs. Pricing costs have, however, not been shared as yet.

Spotify's chief premium business officer, Alex Norstrom,has commented on the expansion saying, "Together these markets represent more than a billion people, with nearly half of them already using the Internet." Norstrom went on to add that, "Some of the places we're going like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nigeria have the fastest growing Internet populations in the world."

Having nearly doubled its existing markets, Spotify will now be going toe-to-toe with competitor, Apple Music. Last year, Apple Music expanded its reach on the continent from just 13 African countries including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya to 38 in total inclusive of Angola, Tanzania, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo and several others.

Here is the full list of African countries into which Spotify will be expanding: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.