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Organisers of the Headies Awards have released the nomination list for the 2026 edition of the prestigious music awards.
The nominees for the 18th edition, themed “Africa to the World,” were unveiled in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
A total of 213 nominations were announced across the various award categories, with Fola emerging as the leading nominee with 10 nominations.
Omah Lay followed with eight nominations, while Wizkid and Mavo secured seven nominations each.
Among the female artistes, Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr emerged as the most nominated, with five nominations apiece.
This year’s Headies Awards will take place in Toronto, Canada, on October 25.
Song of the Year
Rahman Jago
With You — Davido & Omah Lay
Hey Jago — Poco Lee, Shoday &
Joy Is Coming — Fido
Hot Body — Ayra Starr
Arike — Kunmie
MMS — Asake & Wizkid
Afrobeats Single of the Year
You — Fola
Jogodo — Asake & Wizkid
With You — Davido & Omah Lay
Bundle by Bundle — Burna Boy
Fun — Rema
Laho — Shallipopi
Best Performer (Live)
Asake — Red Bull Symphonic
Adekunle Gold — Live at the National Theatre, Lagos
Ayra Starr — Global Citizen Festival 2025
Ruger — Live at Indigo at The O2, London (2025)
Johnny Drille — Johnny’s Room Live 6
Best R&B Album
Catharsis — Fola
I Am the Blueprint — Qing Madi
Reflection Station — Tay Iwar
Love Is a Kingdom — Tems
This One Is Personal — Tiwa Savage
Before We Became Strangers — Kunmie
Best Recording of the Year
How Do You? — Amaeya
You — Fola
Baby (Is It a Crime) — Rema
Coping Mechanism — Omah Lay & Elmah
With You — Davido & Omah Lay
Arike — Kunmie
Best Alternative Album
Detox — Sewa
Olorin Pack — Scottyolorin
Duplicity — BOJ
Then 1t Got Crazy — Zaylevelten
Afrika Magik — SDC
Healers Chapel — Wizard Chan
Digital Artiste of the Year
Ayra Starr
Asake
BNXN
Seyi Vibez
Fola
Mavo
Wizkid
Chella
Next Rated
Fola
Shoday
Llona
Mavo
Fido
Other News
Afrobeats Album of the Year
Morayo — Wizkid
5ive — Davido
No Sign of Weakness — Burna Boy
Captain — BNXN
Fuji — Adekunle Gold
Clarity of Mind — Omah Lay
Music Video of the Year
Dammy Twitch — With You — Davido
Jyde Ajala — Wizard Chan
TG Omori — Afroculture — Flavour ft Baaba Maal
DK — Bundle by Bundle — Burna Boy
Director Pink — 10 Kilo — Davido
Best Female Artiste
Tiwa Savage
Ayra Starr
Sewa
Qing Madi
Tems
Teni
Best Male Artiste
Fola
Asake
Mavo
Wizkid
Rema
Burna Boy
Adekunle Gold
Rookie of the Year
Priesst
Danpapa Gta
Kidd Carder
Firstklaz
No11
OG Abbah
Amma
Best Inspirational Single
Favour — Lawrence Oyor
We Move — Mercy Chinwo
Idinma (You Are Good) — Sinach
No Turning Back 2 — Gaise Baba ft Lawrence Oyor
Amioluwa — Sunmisola Agbebi ft Yinka Okeleye
Korin Iyin (I Will Praise You) — EmmaOMG
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
Magixx — Winter and Summer
Flavour — Orente
Odeal — Patience
Syemca — Love Egbugomo
Tay Iwar — Bad Belle
Adekunle Gold — I’m Not Done
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
Amaeya — How Do You?
Tiwa Savage — You4Me
Sewa — Lagos Lovin
Liya — Skin to Skin
Layefa — 6:35
Qing Madi — Scum Bag
Best Street-Hop Artiste
Kashcoming — All My Money
Shallipopi — Laho
Poco Lee — Hey Jago ft Shoday and Rahman Jago
Famous Pluto — Na Scra
Seyi Vibez — Shaolin
Rybeena — Gaddem ft Shoday
Tuff King — Nkemakonam
International Artiste of the Year
Shenseea
Dave
Gunna
Jazmine Sullivan
Tiakola
Ciara
