Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy are among the major names nominated for the 18th Headies Awards, with their songs and albums appearing across several of the ceremony’s biggest categories.

The 2026 nominees were unveiled on Tuesday, August 25. The awards considered music released between August 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026, covering categories including Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Male and Female Artiste, Best Vocal Performance, regional African awards and Next Rated.

Fola leads the nomination table with 10 nods, followed by Omah Lay with eight. Mavo and Wizkid each received seven nominations, while Davido and Asake have six each. Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage are the most nominated female artistes, with 5 nominations.

Wizkid earned nominations for Song of the Year and Afrobeats Single of the Year for “MMS” and “Jogodo”, both collaborations with Asake. His album “Morayo” is nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year, while he also competes for Best Male Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year, Headies Viewers’ Choice and Best Performer (Live).

Davido’s “With You” with Omah Lay appears in six major categories, including Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Headies Collaboration, Headies Viewers’ Choice and Music Video of the Year. Burna Boy’s “Bundle by Bundle” is nominated for Afrobeats Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year, while “No Sign of Weakness” competes for Afrobeats Album of the Year and Album of the Year. Burna Boy is also nominated for Best Male Artiste.

Full List of 2026 Headies Nominees

Song of the Year

 

Kunmie – “Arike”

Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago – “Hey Jago”

Ayra Starr – “Hot Body”

Fido – “Joy Is Coming”

Asake & Wizkid – “MMS”

Davido & Omah Lay – “With You”.

Afrobeats Single of the Year

Rema – “Fun”

Asake & Wizkid – “Jogodo”

Shallipopi – “Laho”

Davido & Omah Lay – “With You”

Fola – “You”

Burna Boy – “Bundle by Bundle”.

Best Performer (Live)

Adekunle Gold – Live at the National Theatre, Lagos

Asake – Red Bull Symphonic

Ayra Starr – Global Citizen Festival 2025

Johnny Drille – Johnny’s Room Live 6

Ruger – Live at Indigo at The O2, London (2025).

Best R&B Album

Kunmie – Before We Became Strangers

Fola – Catharsis

Qing Madi – I Am the Blueprint

Tems – Love Is a Kingdom

Tay Iwar – Reflection Station

Tiwa Savage – This One Is Personal.

Best Recording of the Year

Kunmie – “Arike”

Amaeya – “How Do You?”

Rema – “Baby (Is It a Crime)”

Omah Lay & Elmah – “Coping Mechanism”

Davido & Omah Lay – “With You”

Fola – “You”.

Best Alternative Album

Show Dem Camp – Afrika Magik

Sewa – Detox

BOJ – Duplicity

Wizard Chan – Healers Chapel

Scottyolorin – Olorin Pack

Zaylevelten – Then 1t Got Crazy.

Digital Artiste of the Year

Asake

Ayra Starr

BNXN

Chella

Fola

Mavo

Seyi Vibez

Wizkid.

Next Rated

Fido

Fola

Llona

Mavo

Shoday

Zaylevelten.

Afrobeats Album of the Year

Davido – 5ive

BNXN – Captain

Omah Lay – Clarity of Mind

Adekunle Gold – Fuji

Wizkid – Morayo

Burna Boy – No Sign of Weakness.

Music Video of the Year

Director Pink – “10 Kilo” by Davido

Dammy Twitch – “With You” by Davido & Omah Lay

TG Omori – “Afroculture” by Flavour ft. Baaba Maal

Jyde Ajala – “Wizard Chan”

DK – “Bundle by Bundle” by Burna Boy.

Best Female Artiste

Ayra Starr

Qing Madi

Sewa

Tems

Teni

Tiwa Savage.

Best Male Artiste

Adekunle Gold

Asake

Fola

Mavo

Rema

Wizkid

Burna Boy.

Rookie of the Year

Amma

Danpapa Gta

Firstklaz

Kidd Carder

No11

Priesst

OG Abbah.

Best Inspirational Single

Sunmisola Agbebi ft. Yinka Okeleye — “Amioluwa”

Lawrence Oyor — “Favour”

Sinach — “Idinma (You Are Good)”

EmmaOMG — “Korin Iyin (I Will Praise You)”

Gaise Baba ft. Lawrence Oyor — “No Turning Back 2”

Mercy Chinwo — “We Move”.

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

Adekunle Gold — “I’m Not Done”

Flavour — “Orente”

Magixx — “Winter and Summer”

Odeal — “Patience”

Syemca — “Love Egbugomo”

Tay Iwar — “Bad Belle”.

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

Layefa — “6:35”

Amaeya — “How Do You?”

Sewa — “Lagos Lovin”

Qing Madi — “Scum Bag”

Liya — “Skin to Skin”

Tiwa Savage — “You4Me”.

Best Street-Hop Artiste

Famous Pluto — “Na Scra”

Kashcoming — “All My Money”

Poco Lee — “Hey Jago” ft. Shoday & Rahman Jago

Seyi Vibez — “Shaolin”

Shallipopi — “Laho”

Tuff King — “Nkemakonam”

Rybeena — “Gaddem” ft. Shoday.

International Artiste of the Year

Ciara

Dave

Gunna

Jazmine Sullivan

Shenseea

Tiakola.

Writer of the Year

Adekunle Kosoko (Adekunle Gold) — “Many People”

Anthony Ebuka Victor (Victony) — “Cough Syrup” with BNXN

Fuayefika Maxwell (Wizard Chan) — “Time Traveler”

Odunlami Afolarin Temiloluwa (Fola) — “Who Does That?”

Oluwabukunmi Ariyibi Peter (Kunmie)

Peace Chidinma Amaefula (Amaeya) — “How Do You?”.

Best Headies 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”

Mr Eazi & King Promise — “See What We’ve Done”

Chief Priest ft. Spyki — “Finally”

Olamide ft. Seyi Vibez & Asake — “99”.

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”.

East African Artiste

Abigail Chams (Tanzania)

Bien (Kenya)

Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)

Harmonize (Tanzania)

Joshua Baraka (Uganda).

 African Artiste

Black Sherif (Ghana)

Himra (Côte d’Ivoire)

KiDi (Ghana)

King Promise (Ghana)

Moliy (Ghana)

Wally B. Seck (Senegal)

Stonebwoy (Ghana).

Best Alternative Song

Luwa.mp4 ft. Jeleel! — “CYK Baddie”

Sewa — “Lagos Lovin”

Wizard Chan — “Oliver”

Binde — “Omo to Sexy”

Wavestar — “Prada Baby”

Obongjayar — “Sweet Danger”

Chief Priest ft. BoyPee & Zoro Swagbag — “Summer Adina”.

North African Artiste

Balti (Tunisia)

Dystinct (Morocco)

Marwan Moussa (Egypt)

Soolking (Algeria)

Tul8te (Egypt).

Central African Artiste

Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)

Ferré Gola (DR Congo)

Héritier Watanabe (DR Congo)

Hiro (DR Congo)

Innoss’B (DR Congo)

Locko (Cameroon).

Rap Single

Odumodublvck — “2:02 PM in London”

Blaqbonez — “ACi”

Dremo — “Man2Man”

PDSTRN — “Moshood”

Tuff King — “Nkemakonam”

Zaylevelten & Mavo — “Wuse Tu”

Zhus Jdo — “John Wick”.

R&B Single

Layefa — “6:35”

Amaeya — “How Do You?”

Amma — “I Love You”

Tems — “What You Need”

Magixx — “Winter & Summer”

Tiwa Savage — “You4Me”.

Producer of the Year

Magicsticks — “Jogodo” and Real, Vol. 1 by Asake & Wizkid

P.Priime — “MMS” by Asake & Wizkid, “Baby (Is It a Crime)” by Rema and “Billionaires Club” by Olamide, Darkoo & Wizkid

Ragee — “Hot Body” by Ayra Starr

Sarz — “Hot Body” by Ayra Starr and “Who’s Dat Girl” by Ayra Starr ft. Rema

Tempoe — “With You” by Davido ft. Omah Lay and “SMH” by Joeboy.

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”

Mavo — “Escaladizzy” ft. Wavestar.

Original Song for Visual Media

Osas Okonyon & Abbey Wonder — “All My Love” from Evi

Funke Akindele & Tolu Obanro — “Behind the Scenes” from Behind the Scenes

Oscar Heman-Ackah & 2Baba — “Save Me” from To Kill a Monkey

WurlD & Liya — “Only in Lagos” from Christmas in Lagos.

Lyricist on the Roll

Blaqbonez — “ACi”

Dremo — “Man2Man”

Modenine — “If You Like Gym” with Odumodublvck

PDSTRN — “Moshood”

Ycee — “Man2Man (Ycee Remix)” with Dremo.

Best Rap Album

Black Sheepizen — Tuff King

AQ — GE3

Erigga — G.O.A.T

Jeriq — King

Blaqbonez — No Excuses

Odumodublvck — The Machine Is Coming.

Album of the Year

Fola — Catharsis

Omah Lay — Clarity of Mind

Erigga — G.O.A.T

Wizkid — Morayo

Odumodublvck — The Machine Is Coming

Tiwa Savage — This One Is Personal

Burna Boy — No Sign of Weakness.

Special Honours

Headies Hall of Fame – Awilo Longomba.

Special Recognition Award – Cecil Hammond.

The 18th Headies nominations bring together Nigeria’s established stars, newer acts and artistes from across Africa and the diaspora. Fola’s 10 nominations make him the most nominated artiste this year, with Omah Lay, Mavo and Wizkid following closely behind.

The ceremony is themed “Africa to the World” and is scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada. The awards will take place on October 23, 2026.

With nominations spread across the major categories and several regional and genre-specific awards, the 18th edition will feature competition between some of the biggest names in Nigerian music and a new generation of artistes making their mark.

The 2026 BET Awards nominations are out, and Nigerian artists are on the list, highlighting Nigeria’s continued influence. The official list was announced on Tuesday, 19th May, with Wizkid, Asake, Tems & Burna Boy all earning nominations across multiple categories. 

Tems emerged as the most-nominated Nigerian artist this year, earning nominations in three categories: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist; BET Her Award for her track “First”; and Viewers’ Choice Award for “Raindance,” her collaboration with the British rapper Dave. 

One of the major historic highlights for Nigerian music is Wizkid and Asake’s nomination in the ‘Best Group’ category for their joint project, REAL Vol. 1, making them the first contemporary African artists to be recognised in the category.

The 2026 BET Awards will be hosted by comedian Druski at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 28, 2026.

Here’s the BET Award 2026 Full List:

Best Male R&B / Pop Artist Category:

Brent Faiyaz

Bruno Mars

Bryson Tiller

Chris Brown

Durand Bernarr

Giveon

Leon Thomas

October London

Usher

 

Best Female R&B / Pop Artist Category:

Tems

Ari Lennox

Coco Jones

Ella Mai

Jill Scott

Kehlani

Mariah The Scientist

Olivia Dean

SZA 

 

 Best Collaboration Category:

“WGFT” – Gunna ft. Burna Boy 

“Chains & Whips” — Clipse ft. Kendrick Lamar 

“Errtime Remix” — Cardi B ft. Jeezy

 & Latto

 “Go Girl” — Summer Walker ft. Latto & Doja 

Cat 

“Good Flirts” — Baby Keem ft. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd 

“Is It a Crime” — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis 

“It Depends (The Remix)” — Chris Brown ft. Bryson Tiller & Usher 

“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin ft. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz 

 

Best Group Category:

Wizkid & Asake

41

Clipse

De La Soul

FLO

French Montana & Ma

 B Metro, Boomin & DJ Spinz

Nas & DJ Premier

Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon 

 

Best Male Hip Hop Artist Category: 

A$AP Rocky

Baby Keem 

BigXthaPlug 

DaBaby 

Don Toliver

 Drake 

Cole

 Kendrick Lamar 

T.I. 

Best Female Hip Hop Artist Category:

Cardi B

 Coi Leray

 Doechii 

Doja Cat 

GloRilla 

Latto 

Megan Thee Stallion 

Monaleo

YK Niece

 

Video of the Year Category:

“100” — Ella Mai 

“Anxiety” — Doechii 

“Burning Blue” — Mariah The Scientist 

“Chanel” — Tyla

 “Escape Room (Short Film)” — Teyan Taylor

 “Folded” — Kehlani 

“Let ’Em Know” — T.I.

 “Luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA

 

Video Director of the year:

A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit 

Anderson Paak

Benny Boom 

Cactus Jack 

Cardi B & Patience Foster

Cole Bennett 

Director X

 Hype Williams 

Teyana “Spike-Tey” Taylor

 

Best New Artist Category: 

Belly Gang Kushington

 Destiny Conrad

 Jaydon

 kwn 

Miles Minnick

Monaleo 

Olivia Dean

 RAYE 

Trap Dickey

 

Album of the Year Category: 

“Am I the Drama?” — Cardi B 

“Don’t Tap the Glass” — Tyler, the Creator 

“Everything Is a Lot.” — Wale

“Hearts Sold Separately” — Mariah The Scientist 

“Let God Sort Em Out” — Clipse 

“Mutt Deluxe: Heel” — Leon Thomas 

“The Fall-Off” — J. Cole 

“The Romantic” — Bruno Mars

 

 Dr Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspirational Award: 

“Able” — Kirk Franklin

“Able (Remix)” — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell

“All To Thee” — BeBe Winans

“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard 

“At The Cross” — CeCe Winans

“Church” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend 

“Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin

 “Headphones” —  Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.

 

Best Actor Category:

Aaron Pierre

Aldis Hodge

Anthony Mackie

Colman Domingo 

Damson Idris

Delroy Lindo 

Denzel Washington

 Michael B. Jordan 

Sterling K. Brown

Best Actress Category:

Angela Bassett 

Ayo Edebiri 

Chase Infiniti 

Coco Jones

Cynthia Erivo 

Keke Palmer 

Quinta Brunson 

Regina Hall 

Teyana Taylor

 

Youngstars Award Category:

 Daria Johns 

Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth

 Heiress Harris

Jazzy’s World TV 

Lela Hoffmeister 

North West 

Thaddeus J. Mixson

 VanVan

Best Movie Category: 

“Highest 2 Lowest” 

“Him” 

“Number One on the Call Sheet” 

“One Battle After Another”

 “Relationship Goals”

 “Ruth & Boaz” 

“Sinners”

 “Wicked: For Good”

Sportsman of the Year Category: 

Aaron Judge (Baseball) 

Anthony Edwards (Basketball) 

Caleb Williams (Football) 

Jalen Brunson (Basketball)

 Jalen Hurts (Football) 

LeBron James (Basketball)

 Shedeur Sanders (Football)

 Stephen Curry (Basketball)

 Sportswoman of the year 

A’ja Wilson (Basketball)

Angel Reese (Basketball) 

Claressa Shields (Boxing)

Coco Gauff (Tennis)

 Flau’jae Johnson (Basketball) 

Gabby Thomas (Track & Field) 

Jordan Chiles (Gymnastics) 

Naomi Osaka (Tennis) 

Sha’Carri Richardson (Track & Field)

 

Bet Her Award Category:

“First” — Tems

“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard 

“Be Great” — Jill Scott ft. Trombone Shorty 

“Beautiful People” — Jill Scott 

 “Girl, Get Up.” — Doechii ft. SZA 

“Go Girl” — Summer Walker ft. Latto & Doja Cat

 “Gorgeous” — Doja Cat 

“Lady Lady” — Olivia Dean

 

Fashion Vanguard Award Category:

A$AP Rocky

 Bad Bunny

 Beyoncé

 Cardi B

 Colman Domingo

 Doechii 

Rihanna 

Teyana Taylor

 Zendaya 

 

Pulse Award (Podcast/ Media) :

85 South Show 

Baby, This Is Keke Palmer

Charlamagne Tha God 

Don Lemon

Druski 

It Is What It Is

Joe and Jada

On The Radar 

R&B Money Podcast 

 

The African Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA) concluded its 12th edition at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos in May 2026, and Linda Ejiofor – Suleiman emerged as the night’s standout performer. Out of the seven nominees who were selected for the Best Lead Actress and supporting role, she won both awards, making this the first in history. 

She was named Best Lead Actress for her exceptional performance in the Igbo-language drama, “The Serpent’s Gift,” directed by Kayode Kasum, which explored themes of Eastern Nigerian heritage and family inheritance. Her portrayal in the film earned serious recognition for its emotional depth.

In this category, Linda won against Bimbo Akintola, Ifeoma Fafunwa, Ariyike Owolagba, Sola Sobowale, Scarlet Gomez, Genoveva Umeh, and Gloria Anozie.

She also beat seven other nominees to emerge as the winner of the supporting role in ‘The Herd’ directed by Daniel Etim Effiong. In the film, Linda portrays the character of a wife to a kidnapped man who tries to navigate financial concerns & secrets while also having to deal with uncooperative family members trying to raise money for his ransom. The film mainly explored the theme of national insecurity crisis. 

For this category, she also won against nominees including Funke Akindele, Bisola Aiyeola, Sola Sobowale, Nadia Dutch, Olamide Kidbaby, Amal Umar, and Juliebrenda Nyambura

 

Both films had strong recognition. “The Herd” entered with nine nominations, and “The Serpent’s Gift” had six nominations and also earned recognition in the Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa). 

Linda has built a reputable name as a dependable screen talent in Nollywood over the past decade. She made her debut as Ejura in Rita Dominic’s first production, ‘The Meeting’, in 2012 and has since been recognised for her prowess with awards and by viewers.