It is practically impossible to know Nigeria’s first singer because singing as always been part of the human culture right  from time immemorial but the first ever Nigerian to release an album is Canon Josiah Jesse Ransome Kuti (Fela Anikulapo’s Grandfather and Prof Wole Soyinka’s great-grand father).

He has been composing songs since 1878 and his last work was released in 4th August, 1921.

His album is still at the British Museum.. The Reverend Canon Josiah Jesse Ransome-Kuti, was perhaps the earliest person in Nigeria to compose gospel songs in form of Church hymns used in the early Anglican Church at St Peter Cathedral Church, Ake Abeokuta Ogun state Nigeria.