Headies 2026: The Biggest Nominees, Biggest Surprises and Full List Revealed.
The 18th Headies Awards has officially unveiled its highly anticipated 2026 nominations, and Nigerian music is heading into another star-studded showdown.
At the centre of the nominations is rising Afro-R&B star FOLA, who leads the entire field with 10 nominations, putting him ahead of several established Afrobeats heavyweights.
Behind FOLA are Omah Lay with eight nominations, while Mavo and Wizkid have seven each. Davido and Asake are also among the year's leading nominees, while Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead the female nominees with five nominations apiece.
The 18th edition carries the theme “Africa to the World” and is set to take the Headies back onto an international stage in Toronto, Canada.
The eligibility period covers singles, albums, EPs and music videos released and distributed between August 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026.
FOLA Emerges as the Biggest Nominee
The biggest headline from this year's nominations is undoubtedly FOLA.
The singer's impressive showing comes on the back of his debut project Catharsis and the success of his song “You.”
FOLA appears in several of the most important categories, including:
- Album of the Year
- Best Male Artiste
- Next Rated
- Digital Artiste of the Year
- Best R&B Album
- Best Recording of the Year
- Afrobeats Single of the Year
- Headies Viewers' Choice
- Best Headies Collaboration
- Songwriter of the Year
His nominations represent a significant moment for a relatively young artist competing directly against some of Africa's biggest music stars.
Omah Lay Enjoys a Major Showing
Omah Lay follows with eight nominations.
One of the strongest parts of his campaign is his collaboration with Davido on “With You.”
The song features prominently across several major categories, including Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Headies Collaboration and Viewers' Choice.
Omah Lay is also nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year and Album of the Year with Clarity of Mind.
Wizkid Continues His Headies Dominance
Wizkid has seven nominations, once again placing the global Afrobeats star among the leading contenders.
His nominations include:
- Song of the Year — “MMS” with Asake
- Afrobeats Single of the Year — “Jogodo”
- Afrobeats Album of the Year — Morayo
- Best Male Artiste
- Digital Artiste of the Year
- Producer of the Year
- Headies Viewers' Choice — “Jogodo” with Asake
The nominations further underline Wizkid's continuing influence on contemporary African music.
Mavo Becomes One of the Biggest Breakout Names
Another major storyline is the rise of Mavo.
The young artist received seven nominations, placing him alongside Wizkid among the most nominated acts.
Mavo's nominations include major categories such as Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste, Next Rated, Best Headies Collaboration and Viewers' Choice.
His collaboration “Escaladizzy” with Wavestar also appears in several categories.
The strong showing makes Mavo one of the artists to watch when the winners are eventually announced.
Davido Remains a Major Contender
Davido is once again heavily represented.
His collaboration with Omah Lay, “With You,” is one of the most visible songs in the nominations, appearing across several major categories.
Davido's 5ive is nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year, while his work also appears in categories covering recording, collaboration, music video and audience choice.
There has also been an update to the Best Male Artiste nomination list, with the Headies adding Davido to the category after the initial list was published.
That correction is important because some early versions of the nomination list circulating online may not contain the updated lineup.
Burna Boy Gets Multiple Major Nominations
Burna Boy remains firmly in contention.
His album No Sign of Weakness is nominated for both Afrobeats Album of the Year and Album of the Year.
His hit “Bundle by Bundle” also earns recognition in Afrobeats Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year.
Burna Boy is additionally nominated for Best Male Artiste.
Asake and Wizkid's “MMS” Makes a Strong Showing
One of the year's major collaborations, “MMS” by Asake and Wizkid, has secured several nominations.
The song is competing for Song of the Year and Afrobeats Single of the Year, while the artists and production behind it also appear in other categories.
The track's presence demonstrates the strength of major collaborations in this year's awards race.
Ayra Starr Leads the Female Contenders
Among female artistes, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead with five nominations each.
Ayra Starr's nominations include:
- Best Female Artiste
- Best Performer (Live)
- Digital Artiste of the Year
- Song of the Year — “Hot Body”
- Headies Viewers' Choice — “Hot Body”
Her nomination for Best Performer (Live) recognises her performance at the Global Citizen Festival 2025.
Tiwa Savage Gets Five Nominations
Veteran Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage is also among the most nominated female artistes.
Her nominations include Best Female Artiste, Best R&B Album for This One Is Personal, Best R&B Single for “You4Me,” and Best Vocal Performance (Female).
Her continued presence in major categories shows her enduring influence across Nigeria's evolving music landscape.
The Next Rated Battle Could Be One of the Night's Biggest
Few Headies categories generate as much conversation as Next Rated.
The 2026 nominees are:
- Fido
- FOLA
- Llona
- Mavo
- Shoday
The category is designed to recognise an emerging artiste considered capable of reaching mainstream superstardom.
With FOLA and Mavo also competing in numerous major categories, the Next Rated race is particularly interesting this year.
Rookie of the Year Nominees
The Rookie of the Year category features another group of emerging talents:
- Amma
- Danpapa GTA
- FirstKlaz
- Kidd Carder
- NO11
- Priesst
- OG Abbah
The category highlights artists who made notable breakthroughs during the eligibility period.
Full Major Nomination List
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
These six names were listed in the initial published nomination lists; subsequent updates may add or amend entries, so readers should check the latest Headies announcement before publication of a final results article.
Afrobeats Single of the Year
- Rema — Fun
- Asake & Wizkid — Jogodo
- Shallipopi — Laho
- Davido & Omah Lay — With You
- FOLA — You
- Burna Boy — Bundle by Bundle
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
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 Female Artiste
- Ayra Starr
- Qing Madi
- Sewa
- Tems
- Teni
- Tiwa Savage
Best Male Artiste
- Adekunle Gold
- Asake
- FOLA
- Mavo
- Rema
- Wizkid
- Burna Boy
Davido was subsequently added to this category after the initial nomination list was released.
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 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 R&B Single
- Layefa — 6:35
- Amaeya — How Do You?
- Amma — I Love You
- Tems — What You Need
- Magixx — Winter & Summer
- Tiwa Savage — You4Me
Best Rap Album
- Tuff King — Black Sheepizen
- A-Q — GE3
- Erigga — G.O.A.T
- Jeriq — King
- Blaqbonez — No Excuses
- Odumodublvck — The Machine Is Coming
Best 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
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
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
Digital Artiste of the Year
- Asake
- Ayra Starr
- BNXN
- Chella
- FOLA
- Mavo
- Seyi Vibez
- Wizkid
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 Vocal Performance — Male
- Adekunle Gold — I'm Not Done
- Flavour — Orente
- Magixx — Winter & Summer
- Odeal — Patience
- Syemca — Love Egbugomo
- Tay Iwar — Bad Belle
Best Alternative Album
- Show Dem Camp — Afrika Magik
- Sewa — Detox
- BOJ — Duplicity
- Wizard Chan — Healers Chapel
- Scottyolorin — Olorin Pack
- Zaylevelten — Then 1t Got Crazy
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
Best Street-Hop Artiste
- Famous Pluto
- Kashcoming
- Poco Lee
- Seyi Vibez
- Shallipopi
- Tuff King
- Rybeena
Producer of the Year
- Magicsticks
- P.Priime
- Ragee
- Sarz
- Tempoe
The producers are represented through major records including Asake and Wizkid's “Jogodo,” Ayra Starr's “Hot Body,” and Davido and Omah Lay's “With You.”
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 — Kai
- DK — Bundle by Bundle by Burna Boy
Headies Viewers' Choice
- Ayra Starr — Hot Body
- Davido & Omah Lay — With You
- Rema — Baby (Is It a Crime)
- FOLA — You
- Wizkid & Asake — Jogodo
- Kunmie — Arike
- Mavo & Wavestar — Escaladizzy
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
Songwriter of the Year
- Adekunle Gold
- Victony
- Wizard Chan
- FOLA
- Kunmie
- Amaeya
Lyricist on the Roll
- Blaqbonez — ACi
- Dremo — Man2Man
- Modenine — If You Like Gym
- PDSTRN — Moshood
- Ycee — Man2Man Remix
International Artiste of the Year
The international category features:
- Ciara
- Dave
- Gunna
- Jazmine Sullivan
- Shenseea
- Tiakola
Regional African Categories
West African Artiste
- Black Sherif — Ghana
- Himra — Côte d'Ivoire
- KiDi — Ghana
- King Promise — Ghana
- Moliy — Ghana
- Wally B. Seck — Senegal
- Stonebwoy — Ghana
East African Artiste
- Abigail Chams — Tanzania
- Bien — Kenya
- Bruce Melodie — Rwanda
- Harmonize — Tanzania
- Joshua Baraka — Uganda
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
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
Original Song for Visual Media
- Osas Okonyon & Abbey Wonder — All My Love from Evi
- Funke Akindele & Tolu Obanro — Behind the Scenes
- Oscar Heman-Ackah & 2Baba — Save Me from To Kill a Monkey
- WurlD & Liya — Only in Lagos from Christmas in Lagos
Hall of Fame and Special Recognition
The 18th Headies will also honour two major figures.
Congolese music legend Awilo Longomba is set to receive the Headies Hall of Fame Award, while Nigerian entertainment executive Cecil Hammond will receive a Special Recognition Award for his contribution to African entertainment.
Why the 2026 Headies Nominations Matter
This year's nominations reveal an interesting shift in African music.
The traditional Afrobeats giants remain powerful, but younger artists are increasingly appearing beside them in the biggest categories.
FOLA's 10 nominations are perhaps the clearest example.
Mavo's seven nominations, Fido's Next Rated appearance and the strong showing of artists such as Kunmie, Qing Madi, Llona and Shoday also demonstrate the changing face of Nigerian music.
At the same time, stars such as Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Asake, Rema, Tems, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage remain central to the awards conversation.
The result is a nomination list that combines legacy, global influence, emerging talent and the next generation of African music.
The Biggest Headies 2026 Questions
As fans study the nominations, several questions will dominate conversations online:
Can FOLA turn his 10 nominations into multiple trophies?
Will Wizkid, Davido or Burna Boy dominate the major categories?
Can Mavo convert his breakout year into a major Headies victory?
Who will win Next Rated — Fido, FOLA, Llona, Mavo or Shoday?
Will Ayra Starr or Tiwa Savage emerge as the leading female winner?
Can “With You” become the night's biggest song?
And perhaps the biggest question of all:
Who will leave Toronto as the biggest winner of the 18th Headies?
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