2026 Headies Awards: Full List of Nominees

The organisers of the 2026 Headies Awards have unveiled the nominees across several categories ahead of the ceremony scheduled to take place in Canada.

The nominations recognise Nigerian and international artistes across major categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Afrobeats Album of the Year, Best Rap Album, Best Female Artiste, Best Male Artiste, Next Rated, Producer of the Year and International Artiste of the Year.

Below is the full list of nominees provided for the 2026 edition.

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

Best Rap Single

• Odumodublvck — “2:02PM in London”
• Blaqbonez — “ACL”
• Dremo — “Man2Man”
• Moshood — “PDSTRN”
• Tuff King — “Nkemakonam”
• Zaylevelten & Mavo — “Wuse Tu”
• Zhus Jdo — “John Wick”

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

• SDC — 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

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 R&B Single

• Layefa — “6:35”
• Amaeya — “How Do You?”
• Amma — “I Love You”
• Tems — “What You Need”
• Magixx — “Winter & Summer”
• Tiwa Savage — “You4Me”

Songwriter of the Year

• Adekunle Gold — “Many People”
• Victony — “Cough Syrup” (with BNXN)
• Wizard Chan — “Time Traveler”
• Fola — “Who Does That?”
• Kunmie — “Arike”
• Amaeya — “How Do You?”

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

• Layefa — “6:35”
• Amaeya — “How Do You?”
• Sewa — “Lagos Lovin”
• Qing Madi — “Scumbag”
• Liya — “Skin to Skin”
• Tiwa Savage — “You4Me”

Best Inspirational Single

• Sunmisola Agbebi & Yinka Okeleye — “Amioluwa”
• Lawrence Oyor — “Favour”
• Sinach — “Idinma (You Are Good)”
• Emma OMG — “Ko’rin Iyin (I Will Praise You)”
• Gaise Baba & Lawrence Oyor — “No Turning Back II”
• Mercy Chinwo — “We Move”

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

• Adekunle Gold — “I’m Not Done”
• Flavour — “Orente”
• Magixx — “Summer & Winter”
• Odeal — “Patience”
• Syemca — “Love Egbugomo”
• Tay Iwar — “Bad Belle”

Producer of the Year

• Magicsticks — “Jogodo”
• P. Priime — “MMS”
• Ragee — “Hot Body”
• Sarz — “Getting Paid”
• Tempoe — “With You”

Best Collaboration

• CKay & Mavo — “Body (Danz)”
• Mavo & Wave$tar — “Escaladizzy”
• Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago — “Hey Jago”
• Odumodublvck & Victony — “Pity This Boy”
• Davido & Omah Lay — “With You”
• Mr Eazi & King Promise — “See What We’ve Done”
• Chief Priest & Spyki — “Finally”

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

Best Female Artiste

• Ayra Starr
• Qing Madi
• Sewa
• Tems
• Teni
• Tiwa Savage

Lyricist on the Roll

• Blaqbonez — “ACL”
• Dremo — “Man2Man”
• Modenine — “If You Like Gym” (with Odumodublvck)
• PDSTRN — “Moshood”
• Ycee — “Man2Man Remix” (with Dremo)

Best Rap Album

• Tuff King — Black Sheepizen (The 13th Disciple)
• A-Q — GE3 (The Beginning)
• Erigga — G.O.A.T
• JeriQ — King
• Blaqbonez — No Excuses
• Odumodublvck — The Machine Is Coming

Best Street-Hop Artiste

• Famous Pluto — “Na Scra”
• Kashcoming — “All My Money”
• Poco Lee — “Hey Jago” (with Shoday & Rahman Jago)
• Seyi Vibez — “Shaolin”
• Shallipopi — “Laho”
• Tuff King — “Nkemakonam”
• Rybeena — “Gaddem” (with Shoday)

International Artiste of the Year

• Ciara
• Dave
• Gunna
• Jazmine Sullivan
• Shenseea
• Tiakola

Best Southern African Artist

• Ciza 🇿🇦
• DJ Maphorisa 🇿🇦
• Jazzwrld 🇱🇸
• Kabza De Small 🇿🇦
• Tyla 🇿🇦
• Uncle Waffles 🇸🇿

Music Video of the Year

• Director Pink — “10 Kilo”
• TG Omori — “Afroculture”
• DK — “Bundle by Bundle”
• Jyde Ajala — “Wizard Chan”
• Meji Alabi — “Who’s Dat Girl”
• Dammy Twitch — “With You”

Best Alternative Song

• Cyk Baddie — “Luwa.mp4” & Jeleel!
• Sewa — “Lagos Lovin”
• Wizard Chan — “Oliver”
• Blnde — “Omo To Sexy”
• Wave$tar — “Prada Baby”
• Obongjayar — “Sweet Danger”
• Chief Priest, Boypee & Zoro Swagbag — “Summer Adina”

Best West African Artiste

• Black Sherif 🇬🇭
• Himra 🇨🇮
• KiDi 🇬🇭
• King Promise 🇬🇭
• Moliy 🇬🇭
• Wally B. Seck 🇸🇳
• Stonebwoy 🇬🇭