Femi Kuti Highest-Paid Musician in the World

It's been a rough year for the musician, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 64-year-old Femi Kuti has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid musicians for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 02/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Femi Kuti tops annual list of highest-paid musicians

In 2024 it looked like the musician’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (October 1) that Kuti is the highest-paid musician in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between September 2025 and September 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Nigerian musician-singer has an estimated net worth of $245 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Kuti Burger” chain) in Abuja, a Football Team (the “Lagos Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkuti - Nigeria), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Femi) and a fashion line called “Femi Kuti Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Femi fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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