Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema has opened up about the challenges that come with fame, revealing that he can no longer freely walk the streets of Nigeria without security.

The singer made the comments during an interview in the UK while reflecting on how his rise to fame has changed his relationship with fans and the public.

According to Rema, being a popular artiste in Nigeria means having to move around with security and money because of the constant attention from fans and people seeking financial assistance.

“Can you even walk down the street in Nigeria? No. If you want to, you just have to have security. Not just security, money,” he said.

Rema, however, said he sometimes feels guilty when his security team pushes fans away because he remembers being in their position before becoming famous.

“I actually do feel guilty when security is like, ‘Move away, move away.’ I actually feel guilty because I was once a fan,” he said.

The singer recalled an encounter with Nigerian artiste Patoranking from his early days as an upcoming artiste. He said Patoranking agreed to take a picture with him after a performance, despite being sweaty and coming off stage.

Rema said the photograph became one of his most-liked pictures on Facebook at the time because it represented his journey as an aspiring musician.

He said meeting Patoranking again on a flight years later allowed him to remind the singer about the moment.

Rema added that he understands why celebrities need security but believes there is still a way to connect with ordinary people.

“There's no time you want to walk out the streets and enjoy the country and you don't give to the streets. But it's possible, actually,” he said.

“The sad reality of being an artiste in Nigeria is that you can’t walk down the street without money or security. But it hurts me when I see security pushing people away, because I was once in that same situation myself.”

—Rema 💔 pic.twitter.com/relvsZV7wr

— carter🌚 (@carter8f) September 7, 2026