Popular Nigerian comedian Ayo Makun, widely known as AY, has disclosed that some top Nigerian artistes now charge as much as N200 million to appear at comedy shows. In a video shared online, AY explained that booking top musicians has become a major expense for comedy show organisers, and he appealed to fans to attend comedy shows for the laughter rather than the star-studded music performances.
AY Reveals Artistes’ Fees Ranging from N80m to N200m
Speaking in the video, AY said the cost of bringing artistes to comedy events has skyrocketed. He noted that an artiste could demand N200 million, another asked for N120 million, and even a less famous act requested N80 million. He emphasised that such fees often exceed the total production budget of an entire comedy show.
“You could approach one artiste today, and they ask you for 200 million; another asked me for 120 million. Even the one who hasn’t attained fame was asking for 80 million, so at this point, you have to ask how much it costs to organise the entire comedy show,” AY said.
Why Booking Top Musicians Has Become Expensive
AY explained that the relationship between comedians and musicians was once built on friendship and mutual support. He recalled that since the beginning of AY Live, major Nigerian artistes including Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Phyno, and P-Square have performed at his shows in Lagos, Abuja, and other cities.
“In those days, many appearances were made possible through friendship, mutual support and the understanding that we were all growing together. An artiste would just accept any reasonable amount and find a way to genuinely support you, but the industry has changed,” he said.
He attributed the change to Nigerian musicians becoming global stars with access to streaming revenue, international endorsements, and opportunities in foreign currencies, meaning they no longer depend on comedy shows for visibility.
Production Costs Add to the Burden
AY pointed out that booking artistes is only one part of the expenses involved in organising a comedy show. Organisers still have to pay for the venue, production, sound, screens, security, publicity, and the comedians’ staff. He stressed that sometimes the fee for a single artiste covers the entire cost of production.
He clarified that his comments were not meant as criticism of Nigerian musicians or the music industry. He acknowledged that collaborations between comedians and artistes had benefited both sides in the past, especially because musicians do not always have frequent live shows where their core fans can see them.
Turning to comedy fans, AY urged them to attend comedy shows for their primary purpose: to laugh.
