Shatta Wale held the ShattaFest concert on October 18, 2025
Following the success of ShattaFest, a JoyNews analysis estimated that over 400,000 people attended the non-ticketed event.
But many have asked: how did they arrive at that figure?
The lead JoyNews Data and Research analyst has explained how the team concluded that roughly 400,000 fans gathered at Independence Square and its surrounding areas for Shatta Wale’s ShattaFest 2025.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, lead analyst Isaac Kofi Agyei broke down the process behind the estimation, which is more scientific than many might think.
ShattaFest: I’m shocked at the crowd that came out for me – Shatta Wale
According to him, the team did not rely solely on social media hype or assumptions. They combined on-the-ground reports, visuals, and verified footage to build what’s known as an area density map.
“We were able to get on-ground evidence, photos, and visuals. On social media, there were also several videos and drone shots. That gave us a sense of the density of the crowd and the scale of attendance,” Isaac said.
The idea behind area density mapping is simple but effective. It involves identifying all possible areas where people gathered during the event, from the main venue to adjoining streets, and estimating how many people each area could hold based on crowd density.
According to him, from the videos and images collected, JoyNews found that Independence Square itself was completely packed, with fans filling every corner. Beyond the square, crowds spread into nearby spaces, including the beach area and the streets stretching from Gamashi (Jamestown) to the square.
“The Independence Square was really packed. And we know the square and its surroundings have vast spaces where people can stand. Around the beach, the adjoining streets, and nearby areas were also filled,” he said.
To make the analysis more precise, the team divided the event grounds into sections; the square, connecting roads, and nearby locations like Osu, Tema Station, and the Labadi stretch, all of which were seen in drone and social media footage showing large, dense crowds.
“We even had evidence that people reached as far as Labadi Beach Hotel, and that some trekked from Teshie and Nungua to the venue,” Isaac disclosed.
Using that mapped-out area, the team first estimated that the square and its immediate surroundings held about 250,000 people. But when they extended the perimeter to include adjoining roads and spillover areas, the number rose, potentially exceeding 600,000.
He noted, however, that such a wide range, between 250,000 and 600,000, is too broad to be statistically reliable. To tighten their findings, the JoyNews team used additional statistical estimation tools to calculate a more realistic midpoint.
“That range was very wide, so we relied on other powerful statistical tools to arrive at a close-to-accurate midpoint. By applying additional estimation methods, we arrived at about 400,000 people, which we believe closely represents the true attendance,” he added.
Isaac further explained that this method is not unique to crowd counting. It’s an internationally accepted scientific technique used to estimate populations in large, uncontrolled environments, such as tracking the number of mosquitoes in a given area or estimating whale populations in the ocean.
“It’s an accepted scientific method for estimation, especially when the area is vast and the density varies. The idea is to calculate how much space each person occupies and use that, along with the total area size, to estimate the overall population,” he noted.
He emphasised that the computation was entirely evidence-based.
“It’s not rocket science; it’s a well-established, evidence-based approach,” he said.
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