Popular American YouTuber and Twitch streamer IShowSpeed has crossed a major career milestone, surpassing 50 million YouTube subscribers while visiting Nigeria as part of his ongoing African tour.
The 21-year-old content creator arrived in Lagos on Wednesday, touring the city widely regarded as Nigeria’s cultural and economic hub. His visit also coincided with his birthday celebrations, adding extra significance to the achievement.
IShowSpeed’s Africa tour, which began on December 29, has taken him to approximately 15 countries across the continent, attracting large crowds at almost every stop. His growing global influence was recently acknowledged by Rolling Stone, which named him the Most Influential Creator of 2025. Meanwhile, Forbes estimates his net worth at $20 million.
The streamer began his Lagos experience at the bustling Balogun Market on Lagos Island, where excited onlookers quickly gathered around him, with some calling out for money. Visibly overwhelmed by the scene, he remarked, “What are they saying? It’s like they’re speaking English, but a different kind of English,” before leaving the area under heavy security.
He later visited Freedom Park, a historic landmark that once served as a colonial-era prison, where he sampled Nigerian jollof rice for the first time and reacted to its spicy taste. His tour of Lagos also included a stop at the famous Nike Art Gallery, a popular destination for international celebrities and political figures.
At around 6:00 pm (1700 GMT), IShowSpeed pulled his security convoy to the roadside to watch his YouTube channel cross the 50-million-subscriber mark live. He marked the moment with a playful celebration, pushing his face into a birthday cake.
Born in Cincinnati as Darren Jason Watkins Jr., IShowSpeed began his online journey about a decade ago, initially creating video game content before expanding into lifestyle, music, and travel videos that rapidly grew his international audience.
His African tour has featured several headline-making moments, including racing against a cheetah in South Africa, playing football with 100 children in Angola, visiting Kenya’s Maasai community, attending the AFCON final in Morocco, and celebrating Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations victory in Dakar a day before arriving in Lagos.
With Nigeria now added to his itinerary, IShowSpeed’s African tour continues to showcase culture, entertainment, and cross-continental engagement to millions of fans worldwide.
