Nigerian gospel singer and pastor, Nathaniel Bassey, has surpassed one billion views on YouTube, becoming the first gospel artist to reach the milestone, according to available channel statistics.

Bassey’s official YouTube channel, Nathaniel Bassey Main, has recorded more than 1.014 billion views and attracted 5.24 million subscribers since its creation in 2011.

The milestone coincides with the October 2026 edition of the Hallelujah Challenge, the online prayer and worship movement founded by the gospel minister in 2017.

The monthly programme, which features midnight sessions of praise, worship and prayers, has attracted participants from different parts of the world, further expanding Bassey’s global audience.

The singer is known for popular gospel songs, including Imela, Onise Iyanu, Olowogbogboro and You Are God, which have contributed to his popularity among gospel music audiences.

The Hallelujah Challenge, which began as an online worship initiative, has grown into an international gathering, with thousands of participants joining its live sessions and millions more accessing its recordings.

The achievement has generated excitement among fans, with some suggesting that the minister could explore ways to monetise the growing audience of the online worship sessions.

However, Bassey has maintained that the initiative is primarily focused on worship and spiritual devotion rather than revenue generation.