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The Headies has unveiled nominees for its 18th edition, themed “Africa to the World.”
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The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on October 25, 2026, in Toronto, Canada.
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Wizkid, Davido, Rema, Asake, Ayra Starr, Tems, Fola and Mavo are among the notable nominees.
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Cecil Hammond will receive the Special Recognition Award, while Awilo Longomba will be inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame.
August 25, (THEWILL) — The nominees for the 18th Headies Awards have been unveiled, setting the stage for another major celebration of African music and talent.
The 2026 edition, themed “Africa to the World”, is scheduled to take place on October 25 in Toronto, Canada, as the organisers continue to expand the awards beyond Nigeria.
Some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars, including Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, Asake, Ayra Starr and Tems, feature prominently in this year’s nominations.
Rising acts such as Fido, Fola, Mavo, Llona and Shoday have also earned nominations in several major categories.
The 18th edition features 37 categories, covering major honours such as Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Next Rated, Best Male and Female Artiste, as well as awards recognising different genres, performances, songwriting and collaborations.
The nominations also reflect the Headies’ growing pan-African focus, with artistes from across the continent competing in regional and continental categories. Black Sherif, KiDi, King Promise, Moliy and Stonebwoy of Ghana, alongside Ivorian star Himra and Senegalese singer Wally B. Seck, are among the West African artistes nominated this year.
Other categories recognise talent from Central, East, North and Southern Africa, while the International Artiste of the Year and African Artiste of the Year categories further highlight the global reach of the awards.
The ceremony will also feature special honours for notable figures in the entertainment industry. Cecil Hammond is set to receive the Special Recognition Award, while legendary Congolese singer Awilo Longomba will be honoured with the Headies Hall of Fame Award.
The nominations set the stage for a competitive awards night, with established stars and emerging artistes battling for recognition ahead of the October ceremony in Toronto.
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Here is a look at the nominees across some of the major categories:
Rookie of the Year
- Amma
- Danpapa Gta
- FirstKlaz
- Kidd Carder
- No11
- Priesst
- Og Abbah
Next Rated
- Fido
- Fola
- Llona
- Mavo
- Shoday
Best Male Artiste
- Adekunle Gold
- Asake
- Fola
- Mavo
- Rema
- Wizkid
- Burna Boy
Best Female Artiste
- Ayra Starr
- Qing Madi
- Sewà
- Tems
- Teni
- Tiwa Savage
Song of the Year
- Arike — Kunmie
- Hey Jago — Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago
- Hot Body — Ayra Starr
- Joy Is Coming — Fido
- MMS — Asake & Wizkid
- With You — Davido & Omah Lay
Album of the Year
- Catharsis – Fola
- Clarity of Mind -Omah Lay
- G.O.A.T – Erigga
- The Machine is Coming – Odumodublvck
- This One is Personal – Tiwa Savage
- No Sign of Weakness – Burna Boy
Producer of the Year
- Magicsticks – for “Jogodo” and “Real, Vol. 1”
- P. Prime – for “MMS”, “Baby (Is it a Crime)” and “Billionaires Club”
- Ragee – for “Hot Body”, “Who’s Dat Girl”
- Sarz – “Gerring Paid”, “Uhh Yeah” and “C’mon Look!”
- Tempoe – for “With You” and “SMH”
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”
Afrobeats Single of the Year
- Fun — Rema
- Jogodo — Asake & Wizkid
- Laho — Shallipopi
- With You — Davido & Omah Lay
- You — Fola
- Bundle by Bundle — Burna Boy
Best Rap Single
- “2:02 PM in London” – Odumodublvck
- “ACL” – Blaqbonez
- “Man2Man” – Dremo
- “Moshood” – PDSTRN
- “Nkemakonam” – Tuff King
- “Wuse Tu” – Zaylevelten, Mavo
- “John Wick” – Zhus JDO
Best Performer (Live)
- Live at the National Theatre, Lagos — Adekunle Gold
- Red Bull Symphonic — Asake
- Global Citizen Festival NYC 2025 — Ayra Starr
- Johnny’s Room Live 6 — Johnny Drille
- Live at Indigo at The O2, London (2025) — Ruger
Afrobeats Album of the Year
- 5ive — Davido
- Captain — BNXN
- Clarity of Mind — Omah Lay
- Fuji — Adekunle Gold
- Morayo — Wizkid
- No Sign Of Weakness — Burna Boy
Digital Artiste of the Year
- Asake
- Ayra Starr
- BNXN
- Chella
- Fola
- Mavo
- Seyi Vibez
- Wizkid
Best R&B Album
- Before We Became Strangers — Kunmie
- Catharsis — Fola
- I Am the Blueprint — Qing Madi
- Love Is a Kingdom — Tems
- Reflection Station — Tay Iwar
- This One Is Personal — Tiwa Savage
Best Recording of the Year
- Arike — Kunmie
- Amaeya — How Do You?
- Baby (Is It a Crime) — Rema
- Coping Mechanism — Omah Lay & Elmah
- With You — Davido & Omah Lay
- You — Fola
Best Alternative Album
- Afrika Magik — SDC
- Detox — Sewa
- Duplicity — BOJ
- Healers Chapel — Wizard Chan
- Olorin Pack — Scottyolorin
- Then 1t Got Crazy — Zaylevelten
Headies Viewers’ Choice
- Hot Body — Ayra Starr
- Escaladizzy — Mavo ft. Wave$tar
- With You — Davido ft. Omah Lay
- Baby (Is It A Crime) — Rema
- You — Fola
- Jogodo — Wizkid & Asake
- Arike — Kunmie
Songwriter of the Year
- Adekunle Gold – “Many People”
- Victony – “Cough Syrup” (with BNXN)
- Wizard Chan – “Time Traveller”
- Fola – “Who Does That?”
- Kunmie – “ Arike”
- Amaeya – “How Do You?
Best Collaboration
- Ckay ft. Mavo – “Body (Danz)”
- Mavo ft. Wavestar – “Escaladizzy”
- Poco Lee, Shoday and Rahman Jago – “Hey Jago”
- Odumodublvck ft. Victony – “Pity This Boy”
- Davido ft, Omah Lay – “With You”
- Mr Eazi and King Promise – “See What We’ve Done”
- Chief Priest ft. Spyki – “Finally”
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
