Music Royalty Reigns: Davido, Wizkid & More Dominate 2026 Headies Nominations!

The 18th edition of The Headies Awards, one of Africa's most prestigious music accolades, has unveiled its nominees for the 2026 ceremony. Set to take place in Canada on October 23, 2026, the awards will celebrate the vibrant talent within the Nigerian and broader African music scene, as well as recognizing international acts.

Leading the pack in nominations are FOLA and Davido, who have garnered 10 and 8 nominations respectively, highlighting their significant impact over the past year. Several other prominent Nigerian music stars and emerging artists are also featured across various categories, earning multiple nods for their impressive work.

Key nominations for the 2026 Headies Awards include:

Next Rated: Fido, FOLA, Llona, Mavo, Shoday.

Song of the Year: "Arike" by Kunmie, "Hey Jago" by Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago, "Hot Body" by Ayra Starr, "Joy Is Coming" by Fido, "MMS" by Asake & Wizkid, and "With You" by Davido & Omah Lay.

Best Female Artiste: Ayra Starr, Qing Madi, Sewa, Tems, Teni, Tiwa Savage.

Best Male Artiste: Adekunle Gold, Asake, FOLA, Mavo, Rema, Wizkid, Burna Boy.

Afrobeats Album of the Year: "5ive" by Davido, "Captain" by BNXN, "Clarity of Mind" by Omah Lay, "Fuji" by Adekunle Gold, "Morayo" by Wizkid, and "No Sign of Weakness" by Burna Boy.

Album of the Year: "Morayo" by Wizkid, "Clarity of Mind" by Omah Lay, "Catharsis" by FOLA, "This One is Personal" by Tiwa Savage, "G.O.A.T" by Erigga, "No Sign of Weakness" by Burna Boy, and "The Machine is Coming" by Odumodublvck.

Best Performer (Live): Adekunle Gold for 'Live at the National Theatre, Lagos', Asake for 'Red Bull Symphonic', Ayra Starr for 'Global Citizen Festival 2025', Johnny Drille for 'Johnny’s Room Live 6', and Ruger for 'Live at Indigo @ The O2, London (2025)'.

Digital Artiste of the Year: Asake, Ayra Starr, BNXN, Chella, FOLA, Mavo, Seyi Vibez, Wizkid.

Best Rap Album: "GOAT" by Erigga, "No Excuses" by Blaqbonez, "King" by Jeriq, "GE3 (The Beginning)" by A-Q, "The Machine is Coming" by Odumodublvck, and "Black Sheepizen" by Tuff King.

Rookie of The Year: Danpapa, GTA, Firstklaz, Amma No11, Kidd Carder, Priesst OG, Abbah.

Best Recording of the Year: "Arike" by Kunmie, "How Do You?" by Amaeya, "Baby (Is It a Crime)" by Rema, "Coping Mechanism" by Omah Lay & Elmah, "With You" by Davido & Omah Lay, and "You" by FOLA.

Best Original Song For Visual Media: "All My Love" by Osas Okonyon & Abbey Wonder (from Evi), "Behind the Scenes" by Funke Akindele & Tolu Obanro (from Behind the Scenes), "Save Me" by Oscar Heman-Ackah & 2Baba (from To Kill a Monkey), and "Only in Lagos" by WurlD & Liya (from Christmas in Lagos).

Songwriter of the Year: Adekunle Gold ("Many People"), Victony ("Cough Syrup with BNXN"), Wizard Chan ("Time Traveller"), FOLA ("Who Does That?"), Kunmie ("Arike"), and Amaeya ("How Do You?").

Best R&B Single: "6:35" by Layefa, "How Do You?" by Amaeya, "I Love You" by Amma, "What You Need" by Tems, "Winter & Summer" by Magixx, and "You4Me" by Tiwa Savage.

Best Rap Single: "2:02 PM in London" by Odumodublvck, "ACL" by Blaqbonez, "Man2Man" by Dremo, "Moshood" by PDSTRN, "Nkemakonam" by Tuff King, "Wuse Tu" by Zaylevelten, Mavo, and "John Wick" by Zhus Jdo.

Best Alternative Song: "CYK Baddie" by Luwa.mp4 ft Jeleel!, "Lagos Lovin" by Sewa, "Oliver" by Wizard Chan, "Omo to Sexy" by BLNDE, "Prada Baby" by Wavestar, "Sweet Danger" by Obongjayar, and "Summer Adina" by Chief Priest ft BoyPee & Zoro, "Swagbag".

Best Vocal Performance (Female): Layefa ("6:35"), Amaeya ("How Do You?"), Sewa ("Lagos Lovin"), Qing Madi ("Scum Bag"), Liya ("Skin to Skin"), and Tiwa Savage ("You4Me").

Best Vocal Performance (Male): Adekunle Gold ("I’m Not Done"), Flavour ("Orente"), Magixx ("Winter and Summer"), Odeal ("Patience"), Syemca ("Love Egbugomo"), and Tay Iwar ("Bad Belle").

Best R&B Album: "Before We Became Strangers" by Kunmie, "Catharsis" by FOLA, "I Am the Blueprint" by Qing Madi, "Love Is a Kingdom" by Tems, "Reflection Station" by Tay Iwar, and "This One Is Personal" by Tiwa Savage.

Best Alternative Album: "Afrika Magik" by SDC, "Detox" by Sewa, "Duplicity" by BOJ, "Healers Chapel" by Wizard Chan, "Olorin Pack" by Scottyolorin, and "Then 1t Got Crazy" by Zaylevelten.

Producer of the Year: Magicsticks, P.Priime, Ragee, Sarz, Tempoe.

Music Video of the Year: Director Pink for "10 Kilo" by Davido, Dammy Twitch for "With You" by Davido, TG Omori for "Afroculture" by Flavour ft Baaba Maal, Jyde Ajala for Olamide and Wizkid’s "Kai!", and DK for "Bundle" by Burna Boy.

Best Collaboration: CKay ft Mavo ("Body (Danz)"), Mavo ft Wavestar ("Escaladizzy"), Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago ("Hey Jago"), FOLA ft Kizz Daniel ("Lost"), Odumodublvck ft Victony ("Pity This Boy"), Davido ft Omah Lay ("With You"), and Mr Eazi and King Promise ("See What We’ve Done"), Chief Priest ft Spyki ("Finally").

Best Street-Hop Artiste: Famous Pluto ("Na Scra"), Kashcoming ("All My Money"), Poco Lee ("Hey Jago ft Shoday and Rahman Jago"), Seyi Vibez ("Shaolin"), Shallipopi ("Laho"), Tuff King ("Nkemakonam"), and Rybeena ("Gaddem ft Shoday").

Afrobeats Single of the Year: "Fun" by Rema, "Jogodo" by Asake & Wizkid, "Laho" by Shallipopi, "With You" by Davido & Omah Lay, "You" by FOLA, and "Bundle" by Burna Boy.

Lyricist on the Roll: Blaqbonez ("ACL"), Dremo ("Man2Man"), Modenine ("If You Like Gym with Odumodublvck"), PDSTRN ("Moshood"), Ycee ("Man2Man (Ycee Remix) with Dremo").

Best Inspirational Single: "Sunmisola Agbebi" by Amioluwa ft Yinka Okeleye, "Favour" by Lawrence Oyor, "Idinma (You Are Good)" by Sinach, "Korin Iyin (I Will Praise You)" by EmmaOMG, "No Turning Back 2" by Gaise Baba ft Lawrence Oyor, and "We Move" by Mercy Chinwo.

Headies Viewers’ Choice: Ayra Starr ("Hot Body"), Davido ("With You ft Omah Lay"), Rema ("Baby (Is It a Crime)"), FOLA ("You"), Wizkid ("Jogodo with Asake"), Kunmie ("Arike"), and Mavo ("Escaladizzy ft Wavestar").

Best West African Artiste (Non-Nigerian): Black Sherif (Ghana), Himra (Côte d’Ivoire), KiDi (Ghana), King Promise (Ghana), Moliy (Ghana), Wally B. Seck (Senegal), Stonebwoy (Ghana).

Best East African Artiste: Abigail Chams (Tanzania), Bien (Kenya), Bruce Melodie (Rwanda), Harmonize (Tanzania), Joshua Baraka (Uganda).

Best North African Artiste: Balti (Tunisia), Dystinct (Morocco), Marwan Moussa (Egypt), Soolking (Algeria), Tul8te (Egypt).

Best Central African Artiste: Fally Ipupa (DR Congo), Ferré Gola (DR Congo), Héritier Watanabe (DR Congo), Hiro (DR Congo), Innoss’B (DR Congo), Locko (Cameroon).

BEST AFRICAN DIASPORA-CANADIAN ARTISTE: Debby Friday ("Lipsync"), Tôme ("CC ft Alpha P"), Bolu Ajibade ("Diana with Friyie"), Nonso Amadi ("Dive In"), Rooky Kamiz ("Deeper"), Tobi ("Out the Mud").

International Artiste of the Year: Ciara, Dave, Gunna, Jazmine Sullivan, Shenseea.