2026 Headies nominations see Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy lead a star-studded field ahead of the 18th awards ceremony in Toronto
David Adeleke, Ayodeji Balogun and Damini Ogulu, better known as Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy, lead the 2026 Headies nominations unveiled on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, ahead of the 18th Headies Awards in Toronto, Canada.
The three Afrobeats heavyweights feature prominently across the major categories, while the full nominations also recognise emerging Nigerian artistes, established African stars and performers from the diaspora.
Davido and Omah Lay’s With You is among the biggest contenders, earning nominations for Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Headies Collaboration and Viewers’ Choice.
Wizkid is nominated for Song of the Year and Afrobeats Single of the Year with MMS and Jogodo.
His Morayo album also competes for Afrobeats Album of the Year, while Wizkid is nominated for Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste and Viewers’ Choice.
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. Burna Boy is also nominated for Best Male Artiste.
The complete 2026 Headies nominations are as follows:
1. 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
2. Afrobeats Single of the Year
Rema, Fun
Asake & Wizkid, Jogodo
Shallipopi, Laho
Davido & Omah Lay, With You
Fola, You
Burna Boy, Bundle by Bundle
3. 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)
4. 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
5. 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
6. Best Alternative Album
SDC, Afrika Magik
Sewa, Detox
BOJ, Duplicity
Wizard Chan, Healers Chapel
Scottyolorin, Olorin Pack
Zaylevelten, Then 1t Got Crazy
7. Digital Artiste of the Year
Asake
Ayra Starr
BNXN
Chella
Fola
Mavo
Seyi Vibez
Wizkid
8. Next Rated
Fido
Fola
Llona
Mavo
Shoday
9. 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
10. Music Video of the Year
Director Pink, 10 Kilo by Davido
Dammy Twitch, With You by Davido
TG Omori, Afroculture by Flavour featuring Baaba Maal
Jyde Ajala, Wizard Chan
DK, Bundle by Bundle by Burna Boy
11. Best Female Artiste
Ayra Starr
Qing Madi
Sewa
Tems
Teni
Tiwa Savage
12. Best Male Artiste
Adekunle Gold
Asake
Fola
Mavo
Rema
Wizkid
Burna Boy
13. Rookie of the Year
Amma
Danpapa Gta
Firstklaz
Kidd Carder
No11
Priesst
OG Abbah
14. 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
15. 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
16. 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
- Hall of Fame
Awilo Longomba
18. Best Street-Hop Artiste
Famous Pluto, Na Scra
Kashcoming, All My Money
Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago, Hey Jago
Seyi Vibez, Shaolin
Shallipopi, Laho
Tuff King, Nkemakonam
Rybeena ft Shoday, Gaddem
19. International Artiste of the Year
Ciara
Dave
Gunna
Jazmine Sullivan
Shenseea
Tiakola
20. 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?
21. 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
22. 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
23. East African Artiste
Abigail Chams, Tanzania
Bien, Kenya
Bruce Melodie, Rwanda
Harmonize, Tanzania
Joshua Baraka, Uganda
24. West African Artiste
Black Sherif, Ghana
Himra, Côte d’Ivoire
KiDi, Ghana
King Promise, Ghana
Moliy, Ghana
Wally B. Seck, Senegal
Stonebwoy, Ghana
25. 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
26. North African Artiste
Balti, Tunisia
Dystinct, Morocco
Marwan Moussa, Egypt
Soolking, Algeria
Tul8te, Egypt
27. Central African Artiste
Fally Ipupa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Ferré Gola, Democratic Republic of Congo
Héritier Watanabe, Democratic Republic of Congo
Hiro, Democratic Republic of Congo
Innoss’B, Democratic Republic of Congo
Locko, Cameroon
28. 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
29. R&B Single
Layefa, 6:35
Amaeya, How Do You?
Amma, I Love You
Tems, What You Need
Magixx, Winter & Summer
Tiwa Savage, You4Me
30. Producer of the Year
Magicsticks, Jogodo by Asake & Wizkid and Real, Vol. 1 by Asake & Wizkid
P.Priime, MMS by Asake & Wizkid, Baby (Is It a Crime) by Rema, 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
31. 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
32. 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
33. Lyricist on the Roll
Blaqbonez, ACi
Dremo, Man2Man
Modenine, If You Like Gym with Odumodublvck
PDSTRN, Moshood
Ycee, Man2Man (Ycee Remix) with Dremo
The 33 categories showcase a particularly broad field, spanning Afrobeats, R&B, alternative music, rap, inspirational music, live performance, songwriting, production and visual media.
The international categories also underline the Headies’ growing ambition to position Nigerian music within the wider African and global creative economy.
The 18th Headies will be held in Canada, with the ceremony scheduled for October 23, 2026.
The international edition is expected to bring together Nigerian, African and diaspora artistes for one of the continent’s most prominent music award nights.
For Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy, the nominations provide another opportunity to add to their already substantial Headies legacies.
For the younger nominees, particularly those competing in Next Rated, the Toronto ceremony could become a defining moment in their careers.
