Grammy-nominated Afrobeats and Afro-house singer, Niniola Apata has announced the death of her husband, Michael Ndika, in an emotional disclosure that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s entertainment industry. 

The 39-year-old singer broke the news in the early hours of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, through a series of grief-stricken posts on her Instagram story, each accompanied by photographs of the couple.

In the posts, Niniola expressed her devastation in raw, unfiltered terms. “God took him,” she wrote in one message, followed shortly by another that simply read, “My husband died.” In perhaps her most heart-wrenching post, she wrote: “God took him. 13 years. 13 f***ing years” a stark reflection of the length and depth of a relationship she had largely shielded from public view.

Michael Ndika was the Chief Executive Officer of NaijaReview, a multimedia platform focused on Afro-house and contemporary African music. Despite his proximity to the entertainment industry, Ndika maintained a low public profile throughout the couple’s relationship.

The circumstances surrounding his death have not been disclosed, and Niniola has offered no further details beyond her social media posts.

The announcement came as a surprise to many fans, who were largely unaware that the singer had been married for over a decade. Niniola has long kept her personal life away from the spotlight, a discretion that made the public nature of her grief all the more striking.

Following the posts, tributes and condolence messages poured in from fans, fellow artists, and industry figures across social media platforms.

Niniola rose to national prominence after finishing as one of the standout contestants on Project Fame West Africa in 2013, a platform that launched her into one of Nigeria’s most celebrated music careers. Her 2017 hit single Maradona earned widespread international acclaim and opened doors to collaborations with global acts including DJ Snake, Drake, Timbaland, and Beyoncé. She received a Grammy nomination and has remained a towering figure in the Afro-house genre.