Tiwa Savage Reveals Shatta Wale Rejected ₦100 Million for Free Collaboration Verse

Tiwa Savage Says Shatta Wale Turned Down ₦100 Million — Gave Her a Verse for Free (What We Know)

By Umeh Ukamaka Augusta — Published: November 2025

Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage reportedly told reporters that Ghanaian dancehall heavyweight Shatta Wale refused a ₦100 million payment and instead gifted a verse when approached for a collaboration. The claim has spread quickly across entertainment blogs and social feeds — but as with many viral celebrity stories, the details and the original source require careful verification.

Illustrative: Tiwa Savage and Shatta Wale. (Image: illustrative placeholder)

What was reported?

According to several entertainment websites, Tiwa revealed that when she or her team approached Shatta Wale for a feature, Shatta Wale's management initially quoted a fee of ₦100 million. When Shatta Wale learned the collaboration was with Tiwa Savage, those reports claim he declined the payment and instead contributed a verse freely as a gesture of support or respect.

Key point: The story is currently circulating as a report based on Tiwa Savage's statements to reporters and secondary entertainment sites. There is no widely available video or direct transcript from a verified Tiwa Savage post publicly accessible at the time of publication that we can point to as an indisputable primary source.

Why this matters

Stories like this quickly grab attention because they touch on several issues fans care about: artist respect across borders, generosity versus commercial deals, and the economics of collaborations in West Africa's music scene. If true, the anecdote paints Shatta Wale in a generous light and highlights how brand and reputation can sometimes outweigh money in artist relationships. If inaccurate or exaggerated, it is still valuable to examine how quickly entertainment narratives can spread.

Context: How collaborations and fees usually work

High-profile collaborations between Nigerian and Ghanaian artists often involve negotiations that include management teams, agents, and sometimes record labels. Fees for verses or features vary widely — they can reflect current chart status, tour schedule, market demand, and how much the collaborating artist expects to benefit from the release.

For big-name acts, feature fees can run into the millions of naira (or equivalent USD/GHS amounts). But many collaborations also happen for reduced fees or for free when artists see strategic value in the partnership — for example, entering a new market or building goodwill.

Who are the people involved?

Tiwa Savage (Tiwatope Omolara Savage) is one of Nigeria’s most successful female artists — a vocalist, songwriter, and a significant presence on both local and international stages. She has a long track record of collaborations and a reputation as a major player in Afrobeats and R&B.

Shatta Wale (Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr.) is a leading Ghanaian dancehall artist known for his assertive persona, energetic performances, and strong fanbase in Ghana and across Africa. He’s known both for hit songs and headline-making statements.

What we could and couldn't verify

During reporting for this post we found multiple entertainment blogs repeating the claim. However:

• We could not find a full video or transcript of the exact interview where Tiwa allegedly made the statement on a major verified platform (such as a verified Instagram post, X/Twitter post, or a mainstream broadcast clip).
• Neither Tiwa Savage nor Shatta Wale has released an official written statement on a verified channel that confirms or denies the story at the time of publication.
• Several smaller entertainment outlets published the story, but the reporting chains were not always clear — in other words, many sites appear to have republished the same claim without an independent, primary-source confirmation.

How fans and the industry reacted

Where the story has circulated, reactions split between praise for Shatta Wale’s alleged generosity and skepticism about the ₦100 million figure and the authenticity of the quote. Fans on social media often interpret such stories as affirmation of cross-country respect among artists. Others caution that viral entertainment items sometimes inflate numbers or misattribute intent to create more clicks.

How you should treat and publish the story (if you run a blog)

1. Label it clearly: Use language like “Tiwa Savage reportedly said…” or “According to reports…”
2. Link to sources: If you republish this claim, link to the original outlet(s) that first published the interview or excerpt — and note when the outlets are smaller blogs.
3. Seek primary confirmation: If possible, try to source a clip, screenshot, or a direct quote from Tiwa’s verified channel or a recognized broadcast to avoid amplifying misinformation.
4. Update transparently: If a verified source emerges later, update your story with the confirmation and note the change at the top of the post.

Possible reasons an artist might refuse payment

There are several reasons high-profile artists sometimes decline payment for a verse:

• Out of respect for the collaborating artist’s stature.
• Strategic market positioning — entering or strengthening presence in another market.
• Publicity and goodwill — a free verse can generate positive press and fan loyalty.
• Personal relationships between artists or management.

Final summary

The story that Tiwa Savage said Shatta Wale refused ₦100 million and gifted a verse is being reported by multiple entertainment sites, and it has circulated widely among fans. However, at the time of this post there is no widely verifiable primary-source clip or an official statement from either artist on major verified channels to confirm every detail.

Bottom line: Treat the item as a reported claim for now — newsworthy and interesting — but not yet fully independently verified. If you publish it on your blog, label it as “reported” and link to the original reporting; update the post if either artist confirms or denies the claim publicly.

Reporting note: This article is based on entertainment reports circulating in November 2025. We attempted to confirm the original interview/source but did not find a verified primary-source clip or post at time of publication. We will update this item if and when a direct confirmation becomes available.

Tiwa SavageShatta WaleCelebrity NewsMusic