By Prosper Mene
Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, known as Tems, has become the first female Nigerian artist to sell over 10 million units of a single in the United States.
The milestone comes from her hit song “Wait For U,” a collaboration with Future and Drake, as confirmed by Chart Data on Tuesday.
Released in 2022, “Wait For U” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023. The song’s massive success, driven by Tems’ soulful voice, has earned it a rare RIAA Diamond certification for 10 million units sold, including streams and downloads.
Tems is now the second African artist to achieve this, following Wizkid’s “One Dance” in 2022.
Tems has also sold millions of units with other hits like “Essence” (5x Platinum), “Free Mind” (2x Platinum), and “Higher” (Platinum), making her the best-selling female African artist in the US.
She broke another record earlier this year as the first African woman to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams.The Lagos-born star, who rose to fame with “Essence” alongside Wizkid in 2020, has won BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and a Soul Train Music Award.
Fans on social media are thrilled, with posts like “Tems is unstoppable! Nigeria to the world!” going viral.Tems is currently on her 2025-2026 world tour, performing sold-out shows in cities like Nairobi and Los Angeles.
Her historic achievement is a proud moment for Nigeria and a win for African women in music.
