2026 Headies Nominations: Full List of Nominees
The organisers of The Headies have released the complete nomination list for the 18th edition of Africa’s biggest music awards. The nominations cover music released between 1 August 2024 and 30 April 2026.
Rising star Fola leads the pack with 10 nominations, followed by Omah Lay (8), while Mavo and Wizkid earned 7 each. Davido, Asake, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage also feature strongly across multiple categories.
The 18th Headies, themed “Africa to the World,” is scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada in October 2026.
Note: The Song of the Year list was later revised to include Olamide’s “99” (feat. Young Jonn, Asake, Seyi Vibez & Daecolm). Best Male Artiste was also updated to include Davido.
Song of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| 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 |
| Olamide – 99 (feat. Young Jonn, Asake, Seyi Vibez & Daecolm) (added in revision) |
Best Male Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Adekunle Gold |
| Asake |
| Burna Boy |
| Davido (added in revision) |
| Fola |
| Mavo |
| Rema |
| Wizkid |
Best Female Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Ayra Starr |
| Qing Madi |
| Sewa |
| Tems |
| Teni |
| Tiwa Savage |
Album of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Wizkid – Morayo |
| Omah Lay – Clarity of Mind |
| Fola – Catharsis |
| Tiwa Savage – This One Is Personal |
| Erigga – G.O.A.T |
| Burna Boy – No Sign of Weakness |
| Odumodublvck – The Machine Is Coming |
Afrobeats Album of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Davido – 5ive |
| BNXN – Captain |
| Omah Lay – Clarity of Mind |
| Adekunle Gold – Fuji |
| Wizkid – Morayo |
| Burna Boy – No Sign of Weakness |
Afrobeats Single of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Rema – Fun |
| Asake & Wizkid – Jogodo |
| Shallipopi – Laho |
| Davido & Omah Lay – With You |
| Fola – You |
| Burna Boy – Bundle by Bundle |
Best Collaboration
| Nominee |
|---|
| CKay ft. Mavo – Body (Danz) |
| Mavo ft. Wave$tar – Escaladizzy |
| Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago – Hey Jago |
| Fola ft. Kizz Daniel – Lost |
| Odumodublvck ft. Victony – Pity This Boy |
| Davido ft. Omah Lay – With You |
| Mr Eazi & King Promise – See What We’ve Done |
| Chief Priest ft. Spyki – Finally |
Best Recording of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Kunmie – Arike |
| Amaeya – How Do You? |
| Rema – Baby (Is It a Crime) |
| Omah Lay ft. Elmah – Coping Mechanism |
| Davido ft. Omah Lay – With You |
| Fola – You |
Best Rap Single
| Nominee |
|---|
| Odumodublvck – 2:02PM in London |
| Blaqbonez – ACL |
| Dremo – Man2Man |
| PDSTRN – Moshood |
| Tuff King – Nkemakonam |
| Zaylevelten & Mavo – Wuse Tu |
| Zhus Jdo – John Wick |
Best R&B Single
| Nominee |
|---|
| Layefa – 6:35 |
| Amaeya – How Do You? |
| Amma – I Love You |
| Tems – What You Need |
| Magixx – Winter & Summer |
| Tiwa Savage – You4Me |
Best R&B Album
| Nominee |
|---|
| Kunmie – Before We Became Strangers |
| Fola – Catharsis |
| Qing Madi – I Am the Blueprint |
| Tems – Love Is a Kingdom |
| Tay Iwar – Reflection Station |
| Tiwa Savage – This One Is Personal |
Best Alternative Song
| Nominee |
|---|
| Luwa.mp4 ft. Jeleel! – CYK Baddie |
| Sewa – Lagos Lovin |
| Wizard Chan – Oliver |
| BLNDE – Omo to Sexy |
| Wave$tar – Prada Baby |
| Obongjayar – Sweet Danger |
| Chief Priest ft. BoyPee & Zoro – Summer Adina |
Best Alternative Album
| Nominee |
|---|
| SDC – Afrika Magik |
| Sewa – Detox |
| BOJ – Duplicity |
| Wizard Chan – Healers Chapel |
| Scottyolorin – Olorin Pack |
| Zaylevelten – Then 1t Got Crazy |
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
| Nominee |
|---|
| Adekunle Gold – I’m Not Done |
| Flavour – Orente |
| Magixx – Winter & Summer |
| Odeal – Patience |
| Syemca – Love Egbugomo |
| Tay Iwar – Bad Belle |
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
| Nominee |
|---|
| Layefa – 6:35 |
| Amaeya – How Do You? |
| Sewa – Lagos Lovin |
| Qing Madi – Scumbag |
| Liya – Skin to Skin |
| Tiwa Savage – You4Me |
Music Video of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Director Pink – 10 Kilo (Davido) |
| TG Omori – Afroculture (Flavour ft. Baaba Maal) |
| DK – Bundle by Bundle (Burna Boy) |
| Jyde Ajala – Kai (Olamide & Wizkid) |
| Meji Alabi – Who’s Dat Girl (Ayra Starr & Rema) |
| Dammy Twitch – With You (Davido & Omah Lay) |
Best Performer (Live)
| Nominee |
|---|
| 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) |
Digital Artiste of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Asake |
| Ayra Starr |
| BNXN |
| Chella |
| Fola |
| Mavo |
| Seyi Vibez |
| Wizkid |
Next Rated
| Nominee |
|---|
| Fido |
| Fola |
| Llona |
| Mavo |
| Shoday |
| Zaylevelten |
Rookie of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Amma |
| Danpapa GTA |
| FirstKlaz |
| Kidd Carder |
| No11 |
| Priesst |
| OG Abbah |
Songwriter of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Adekunle Gold – Many People |
| Victony – Cough Syrup (with BNXN) |
| Amaeya – How Do You? |
| Wizard Chan – Time Traveller |
| Fola – Who Does That |
| Kunmie – Arike |
Producer of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Magicsticks |
| P.Priime |
| Ragee |
| Sarz |
| Tempoe |
Headies Viewers’ Choice
| Nominee |
|---|
| Ayra Starr – Hot Body |
| Mavo – Escaladizzy (ft. Wave$tar) |
| Davido – With You (ft. Omah Lay) |
| Rema – Baby (Is It a Crime) |
| Fola – You |
| Wizkid – Jogodo (with Asake) |
| Kunmie – Arike |
Best Rap Album
| Nominee |
|---|
| Erigga – G.O.A.T |
| Blaqbonez – No Excuses |
| Jeriq – King |
| A-Q – GE3 (The Beginning) |
| Odumodublvck – The Machine Is Coming |
| Tuff King – Black Sheepizen |
Best Street-Hop Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| 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) |
Lyricist on the Roll
| Nominee |
|---|
| Blaqbonez – ACL |
| Dremo – Man2Man |
| Modenine – If You Like Gym (with Odumodublvck) |
| PDSTRN – Moshood |
| Ycee – Man2Man (Ycee Remix) with Dremo |
Best Inspirational Single
| Nominee |
|---|
| 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 |
International Artiste of the Year
| Nominee |
|---|
| Ciara |
| Dave |
| Gunna |
| Jazmine Sullivan |
| Shenseea |
| Tiakola |
Best West African Artiste (Non-Nigerian)
| Nominee |
|---|
| Black Sherif (Ghana) |
| Himra (Côte d’Ivoire) |
| KiDi (Ghana) |
| King Promise (Ghana) |
| Moliy (Ghana) |
| Wally B. Seck (Senegal) |
| Stonebwoy (Ghana) |
Best East African Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Abigail Chams (Tanzania) |
| Bien (Kenya) |
| Bruce Melodie (Rwanda) |
| Harmonize (Tanzania) |
| Joshua Baraka (Uganda) |
Best North African Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Balti (Tunisia) |
| Dystinct (Morocco) |
| Marwan Moussa (Egypt) |
| Soolking (Algeria) |
| Tul8te (Egypt) |
Best Central African Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Fally Ipupa (DR Congo) |
| Ferré Gola (DR Congo) |
| Héritier Watanabe (DR Congo) |
| Hiro (DR Congo) |
| Innoss’B (DR Congo) |
| Locko (Cameroon) |
Best Southern African Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Ciza |
| DJ Maphorisa |
| JazzWRLD |
| Kabza De Small |
| Tyla |
| Uncle Waffles |
Best African Diaspora-Canadian Artiste
| Nominee |
|---|
| Debby Friday – Lipsync |
| Tôme – CC (ft. Alpha P) |
| Bolu Ajibade – Diana (with Friyie) |
| Nonso Amadi – Dive In |
| Rooky Kamiz – Deeper |
| Tobi – Out the Mud |
