The 14-track album features six guest artists and follows his 2025 debut, Catharsis.
Nigerian singer FOLA released his second studio album, 9, on Friday, October 9, 2026. The 14-track project came out through Dangbana Republik and EMPIRE, and mixes Afrobeat and R&B influences with contributions from established Nigerian and international acts.
The title is a football reference. In an interview, FOLA explained it with a line about the position: "A number nine is who you depend on to give you the winning goal."
He had already set up the title in September. In a post on social media that read "October 9. #9isOnTheWay", he confirmed the album name and release date. In that announcement he re-interpreted the number as "the artist you call when you need a hit."
Since Catharsis, his friends, his team, his label people and his schoolmates have called him striker, FOLA told Apple Music's Africa Now Radio. He puts the idea simply:
"It's no misses. So they always call me striker because a striker never misses."
The tracklist includes 2am in Toronto with Davido, Treat U Right with Ayra Starr, My Type with BNXN, Hold U Down with Darkoo, and It's Over with Bella Shmurda and Zlatan.
FOLA says the Davido track was not planned for the album. "The song wasn't even supposed to make the album," he said. He had already finished the record without Davido on it, and he found the song in his archive at 2 AM in Toronto. "I just knew I needed something special." When the verse came back, he called it "mind-blowing."
On Treat U Right, FOLA said he had already done his own verse. After hearing one Ayra Starr song, "I was blown away." She returned her verse quickly.
On BNXN, FOLA called him "one of the first people in the industry to actually show me love". The two have a lot of records together, he says, including Shamaya, a song on BNXN's project, and My Type, which is on FOLA's album. "BNXN and I have a lot of records together."
It's Over closes the album. "Zlatan is stylish, and he ends the album," FOLA said. He also said, "Bella Shmurda and I have a lot of songs together as well."
On the sound, FOLA was firm. "I won't ever try to sound like someone else." Ahead of the release he said: "Every song came from somewhere real, every detail meant something."
The album follows Catharsis, his debut studio project released in September 2025. His 2022 single Ginger Me, featuring Bella Shmurda, first brought him wider attention. In 2024, Alone, with BhadBoi OML, reached number seven on the UK Afrobeats Chart. In 2026, Paparazzi, with Shoday, reached number one on the Nigeria Top 100 chart.
The album is available across major digital streaming platforms.
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