Buga (song)

"Buga"
Single by Kizz Daniel featuring Tekno
from the album Maverick
Released	4 May 2022 (2022-05-04)
Genre	Afro pop Afrobeats
Length	3:03
Label	Flyboy Empire
Songwriter(s)	Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe Augustine Miles Kelechi
Producer(s)	Reward Beatz Blaisebeatz Yung Willis
Kizz Daniel singles chronology
"Lie" (2021) "Buga" (2022) "Cough (Odo)" (2022)
Tekno singles chronology
"Jinja" (2022) "Buga" (2022) "Full Current (That's My Baby)" (2022)
Music video
"Buga" on YouTube

Buga is a song by Nigerian singer Kizz Daniel. Featuring vocals from fellow Nigerian singer Tekno, it was released on 4 May 2022 through Flyboy I.N.C and Empire Distribution as the second single from Daniel's fourth studio album Maverick (2023) and was produced by Reward Beatz, Blaisebeatz, and Yung Willis. The song reached No. 1 on Apple Music's Nigeria Top 100 chart three days after its release, and topped the TurnTable Top 100 for seven weeks and ultimately emerging as the year's leading song. With a record-breaking 57.9 million streams, it achieved the highest streaming numbers ever in a single calendar year in Nigeria. It later became the most Shazamed song in the world after claiming the No. 1 spot in 13 countries. In addition to topping the streaming charts, "Buga" secured top-five positions in both radio and TV impressions.

Background

Kizz Daniel revealed the song's release on his social media platforms.

Reward Beatz, one of the producers of "Buga," described the creation of the song as a straightforward and enjoyable process. The beat was made collaboratively in the studio with Kizz Daniel and later sent to him for recording. Although Reward Beatz had produced previous hits, including T-Classic's "La Cream" and Iyanya's "Like" featuring Davido and Kizz Daniel himself, he noted that "Buga" significantly boosted his opportunities in the music industry and widened his creative process. Reward Beatz expressed gratitude for the increased recognition and support following the success of the song.

Composition and lyrics

The song was recorded in the key of A♭ major with a tempo of 116 beats per minute. "Buga"'s lyrics appear to convey a sense of pride and celebration of one's achievements. The word "buga" itself is described as a popular Yoruba slang meaning "to show off," "to be proud of something," or "to flaunt one's success." In the context of the song, Kizz Daniel uses "Buga" to encourage listeners to take pride in their hard work, enjoy life fully, and embrace their accomplishments while staying positive and steering clear of negativity.

Reception

In Emmanuel Daraloye's review for Afrocritik, he praised "Buga" as a "feel-good, perky type of song" infused with Amapiano elements, highlighted by log drums and a “sublime” verse from Tekno, which complements Daniel's performance. Daraloye noted that "Buga," meaning "to show off" in Yoruba, celebrates success and hard work, with Kizz Daniel urging listeners to enjoy life while avoiding negativity. He suggested the song might be an unofficial anthem for the summer of 2022, comparable to Wizkid and Tems' impact the previous year, adding that the track's viral dance move has further fueled its popularity across social media platforms.

Gabriel Myers Hansen of Music in Africa described "Buga" as a standout Afrobeats hit, noting its “elegant plainness” in composition and messaging, which encourages both hard work and celebration. Hansen highlighted the song's simple, singalong structure, comparing its repetitive verses to a “single extended chorus,” which resonates with listeners like an anthem. He also praised the vibrant music video directed by TG Omori, calling it a “carnival-themed” spectacle that mirrors the song's feel-good message and showcases African culture. Hansen commended Kizz Daniel's unique “algorithm” for hit-making, which combines groove, charisma, and inviting lyrics to great effect.

Impact

"Buga" became an instant hit on social media, with numerous notable personalities, including former Liberian president George Weah, Nigerian Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, former Nigerian Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and the 16th president of Nigeria Bola Tinubu, sharing videos of themselves dancing to the song.

The song achieved significant recognition globally, becoming the most Shazamed song in the world as announced by Shazam on 19 May 2022. It also set a new streaming record by becoming the first song to reach one million streams within 24 hours on Boomplay Music. On the day of the song's release, Kizz Daniel embarked on a viral dance challenge, which launched through his social media page, providing a ₦1,000,000 prize for the best "Buga" video content, with fans acting as the judges.

Music video

The music video for "Buga," directed by TG Omori, was published to YouTube on 22 June 2022, and showcases a celebratory theme, featuring a carnival-like setting shot in Lagos and Abuja. The video, featuring Kizz Daniel, Tekno, and skit maker Oga Sabinus, includes vibrant choreography and festive visuals that align with the song's message of enjoyment and success. It amassed over 3.8 million views within just two days.

Commercial performance

Upon its release, "Buga" quickly gained commercial success and set multiple records. By 16 May 2022, just two weeks after its debut, "Buga" recorded 11.4 million equivalent streams and 47.5 million radio impressions, breaking the record for the largest streaming week since TurnTable began tracking in July 2020. The song debuted at No. 1 on the TurnTable Top 50 chart, becoming Kizz Daniel’s third chart-topping single and Tekno’s first. By 25 May 2022, "Buga" had achieved an unprecedented milestone by simultaneously holding the records for the all-time biggest weekly streaming tally, the all-time biggest weekly radio tally, and the highest total chart activity recorded by any song in a week. That week, it tallied 12.3 million equivalent streams (up 7.8%) and 71.6 million radio impressions (up 50.7%). It also maintained the No. 1 position with nearly double the points of the No. 2 song, further solidifying its dominance on the TurnTable Top 50 chart. By 1 June 2022, "Buga" continued its streak as the most streamed and most-heard song in Nigeria, spending a third consecutive week atop the streaming chart with 9.03 million equivalent streams and leading the radio chart with 59.3 million impressions for a second week. During this period, it held the record for the three largest chart point tallies ever recorded on TurnTable Charts, dated May 16, May 23, and May 30, 2022, respectively. By 13 June 2022, "Buga" had equaled the five-week reigns of Skiibii’s "Baddest Boy (Remix)" and Black Sherif’s "Kwaku the Traveller" as the longest-running No. 1 songs in 2022. It also recorded its fifth consecutive week as Nigeria’s most streamed song and retained its lead on radio charts. By 20 June 2022, "Buga" set a new record for the most weeks at No. 1 in 2022, with six weeks atop the TurnTable Top 50. Despite the absence of an official music video during its chart run, the song maintained its dominance across streaming platforms and radio airplay. Its chart-topping performance underscored its popularity and established a strong presence on the Nigerian music scene.

Controversy

In April 2024, Kizz Daniel and Tekno were involved in a public dispute regarding the royalties from "Buga." The controversy began after a blog claimed Tekno had stated in an interview that he had no legal agreement regarding his feature on "Buga" and received 50% of the song's revenue, amounting to almost ₦1,000,000. Tekno swiftly denied the claim, describing the interview as “fake” and suggesting that Kizz Daniel did not have such funds to distribute. Kizz Daniel responded via Twitter, accusing Tekno of disrespect and claiming that "Buga" had revived Tekno's music career. In retaliation, Tekno responded with a tweet questioning Daniel's motives and warning him not to play with him, insinuating that Daniel's actions were driven by insecurity. The exchange sparked a back-and-forth between the two artists on social media, drawing attention from fans and the media alike.

Accolades

Awards and nominations for "Buga"

Organization	Year	Category	Result	Ref.
The Headies	2023	Song of the Year	Nominated
		Afrobeats Single of the Year	Nominated
		Headies' Viewers' Choice	Nominated
SoundCity MVP Awards		Song of the Year	Won

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart performance for "Buga"

Chart (2022)	Peak position
Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100)	1
UK Afrobeats Singles (OCC)	2

Year-end charts

2022 year-end chart performance for "Buga"

Chart (2022)	Position
TurnTable Charts	9

Certifications

Certifications for Buga

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Nigeria (TCSN)	4× Platinum	400,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Apple Music.

• Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe – vocals, songwriter
• Augustine Miles Kelechi - vocals, songwriter
• Reward Beatz - production
• Blaisebeatz - production
• Yung Willis - production

Release history

Release history and formats for Buga

Region	Date	Format	Label
Various	4 March 2022	Streaming digital download	Flyboy Empire