Nathaniel Bassey becomes first African gospel artist to surpass one billion YouTube views

Nigerian gospel singer and pastor Nathaniel Bassey has surpassed one billion YouTube views, becoming the first African gospel artist to reach the milestone. His official channel, Nathaniel Bassey Main, has more than 1.014 billion views and 5.24 million subscribers since it was created in 2011. The achievement coincides with the October 2026 edition of the Hallelujah Challenge, the monthly online prayer and worship programme Bassey founded in 2017, which attracts participants worldwide. Bassey says the initiative is focused on worship and spiritual devotion rather than generating revenue.