Popular singer and rapper Azeez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley, has cautioned young Nigerians against excessive involvement in sports betting, stressing that gambling should not be mistaken for a legitimate career path.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, the Tesumole hitmaker encouraged youths to stop squandering their earnings on wagers, writing:
“Football bet no be work bro. Please stop before they finish you.”
His comments arrive amid growing concern about the effect of sports betting on Nigeria’s younger population.
A recent Business Insider Africa report identified Nigeria as the leading sports-betting market in Africa as of early 2025. According to the publication, an estimated 168.7 million Nigerians are active bettors, with about 70 percent of citizens under 30 reportedly involved.