The next Nigerian artiste you see on a comedy show stage could cost the organiser N200 million. Comedian Ayomide Makun, known as AY, put that figure on the record in a video addressing fans, explaining why booking top musicians has become the single biggest line item for comedy show producers.
AY said the fee is not hypothetical. "You could approach one artiste today, and they ask you for 200 million; another asked me for 120 million," he said. "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."
The revelation comes as AY prepares audiences for his AY Live shows, the comedy platform that has, since its start, paired stand-up with live performances from Nigeria's biggest names. He listed the roster himself: Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Phyno, Psquare. All of them have performed at AY Live events in Lagos, Abuja and other cities.
That combination, he said, used to be built on something other than cash. "In those days, many appearances were made possible through friendship, mutual support and the understanding that we were all growing together," AY explained. "An artiste would just accept any reasonable amount and find a way to genuinely support you, but the industry has changed."
The change, he said, is a product of global success. Nigerian musicians now earn from streaming, international endorsements and opportunities paid in foreign currencies. They no longer need comedy shows for visibility. "Today, Nigerian musicians are global stars," he said. "They earn from streaming, international endorsements, and several opportunities that come in foreign currencies, so they no longer depend on comedy shows for visibility."
The consequence is a pricing structure that AY says can break a show before it starts. He walked through the other costs an organiser carries: venue, production, sound, screens, security, publicity, staff for the comedians. "Sometimes, the fee that just one artiste is asking for covers the entire cost of production," he said.
AY was careful to frame his remarks as an explanation, not an attack. He said the collaboration between comedians and musicians has benefited both sides, particularly because musicians do not always have frequent live shows where their core fans can see them. The past arrangement worked, he said, because both industries were growing together.
His appeal to fans is straightforward: come for the comedy. He said many ticket buyers now arrive with an expectation that a comedy show must also deliver several top musicians. "When you buy a ticket for a comedy show, there is often an expectation that you must also see several top musicians," he said. "For many years, we made that combination work."
Whether that combination still works at current prices is the question at the centre of his video. AY did not announce new ticket prices or a change in format. He did not name the artistes who quoted him the N200 million, N120 million or N80 million fees. He asked fans to remember the reason comedy shows exist.
The comedian's comments arrive at a moment when live entertainment costs across Nigeria have climbed sharply, driven by production expenses, venue fees and the international touring schedules of the country's biggest acts. AY's figures, if representative, put a single guest appearance at a comedy show above the production budget of many mid-sized events.
For AY, the math is simple. A comedy show is built around comedians. The music, he suggested, was a bonus that has become a burden. His message to fans: attend for the laughter.
According to Pulse.ng.
