YouTube, the popular video streaming platform owned by tech giant Google, has significantly increased the cost of its Premium subscription service in Nigeria, raising eyebrows among users.
The price for the individual plan has jumped by 54%, moving from ₦1,100 to ₦1,700, while the family plan has seen an even steeper hike—up by over 64%—from ₦1,700 to ₦2,800.
In an email to Nigerian subscribers on April 4, 2025, YouTube explained the price adjustment, stating: “To continue delivering great service and features, we’re increasing your price to ₦1,700.00/month. We don’t make these decisions lightly, but this update will allow us to continue to improve YouTube Premium and support the creators and artists you watch on YouTube.”
The new pricing will take effect from subscribers’ next billing cycle.
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Nigeria isn’t alone in facing higher charges. YouTube has also announced a subscription price increase in South Africa. Starting mid-year, Premium subscribers will pay R81.99 monthly for the individual plan, while the family plan will cost R149.99. YouTube Music subscribers in South Africa will also see a modest increase from R59.99 to R64.99.
Meanwhile, some long-time users in the United States are also facing their first price hike in a decade. Early adopters who had been paying $7.99/month since 2014 are now subject to updated rates.
YouTube Premium, which removes ads, allows background play, and enables offline downloads, has grown significantly since its inception. In February 2024, the platform hit 100 million paid users across both YouTube Premium and YouTube Music—up from 80 million in late 2022.
Originally launched in 2015 as YouTube Red with a $9.99 subscription that included Google Play Music, the service was rebranded to YouTube Premium in 2018. Over the past year, YouTube has introduced enhanced 1080p HD playback, cross-device viewing, and early access to generative AI features for Premium users. Other recent additions include the “Samples” music discovery tab, a custom radio-building tool, and the integration of podcasts into YouTube Music.
Despite the added features, the latest price increase has sparked a wave of mixed reactions, as users weigh the value of an ad-free experience against rising subscription costs in a challenging economic climate.
