The Headies has officially unveiled the nominees for its 18th edition, and the list confirms what the last twelve months of Afrobeats sounded like: a genuine three-way scramble at the top, a rising R&B wave led by an unexpected frontrunner, and a ceremony that continues its journey away from home soil.
The organisers published the full nomination list on Tuesday, setting the stage for a ceremony that will be held in Toronto, Canada, on October 25. It marks yet another international staging for the awards, which first stepped outside Nigeria in 2022 for Atlanta, stayed there for the 2023 edition, then returned briefly to Lagos in 2025 under the “Back to Base” theme. This year, the Headies crosses the border again, this time into North America’s Canadian market, a signal of how far the show now sees its diaspora audience reaching.
Fola Tops the Nomination Count
The biggest story out of this year’s list is not Davido, Wizkid, or Burna Boy. It is Fola, who leads every artist on the nomination sheet with 10 nods. His breakout run over the past year, powered by his single “You” and his R&B project “Catharsis,” earned him nominations across Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best R&B Album, Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste, Next Rated, Writer of the Year, and Best Headies Collaboration for “Lost” featuring Kizz Daniel.
It is the kind of spread that tells its own story. Fola is not just being recognised for one song or one moment. He is up for recognition as a performer, a writer, and an act with genuine crossover pull, and that range puts him in rare company this year.
Omah Lay follows with eight nominations, built around his album “Clarity of Mind” and his collaboration with Davido on “With You,” which alone picked up nods in five separate categories. Wizkid and Mavo each collected seven nominations, while Davido and Asake round out the top tier with six apiece.
The Big Three Collide Again
Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy are once again positioned to battle across the night’s marquee categories, including Afrobeats Album of the Year, Best Male Artiste, Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Producer of the Year.
The Afrobeats Album of the Year race is stacked. Davido’s “5ive” competes against Wizkid’s “Morayo,” Burna Boy’s “No Sign of Weakness,” Omah Lay’s “Clarity of Mind,” BNXN’s “Captain,” and Adekunle Gold’s “Fuji.” Every one of those projects had its moment this year, which makes this category one of the hardest to call.
Song of the Year is just as tight. Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You” goes up against Ayra Starr’s “Hot Body,” Asake and Wizkid’s “MMS,” Fido’s “Joy Is Coming,” Poco Lee, Shoday and Rahman Jago’s “Hey Jago,” and Kunmie’s “Arike.” That “With You” alone stretches across Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Headies Collaboration, and Viewers’ Choice says a lot about how deeply that record connected this year.
Next Rated and the Fight for the Future
The Next Rated category, historically one of the most closely watched on the night, shortlists Fido, Fola, Llona, Mavo, and Shoday. Shoday’s nomination comes off the back of “Hey Jago,” his collaboration with Poco Lee and Rahman Jago, while Fola’s inclusion here sits alongside his ten other nods, making him a genuine contender to sweep the night.
Digital Artiste of the Year, which measures streaming and online reach, brings together Asake, Ayra Starr, BNXN, Chella, Fola, Mavo, Seyi Vibez, and Wizkid, an eight way field that shows just how wide the definition of digital dominance has become.
The Women Leading the Charge
Best Female Artiste nominees are Ayra Starr, Qing Madi, Sewa, Tems, Teni, and Tiwa Savage. Tems also picks up a Best R&B Album nomination for “Love Is a Kingdom,” while Tiwa Savage’s “This One Is Personal” competes in the same category alongside Qing Madi’s “I Am the Blueprint,” Fola’s “Catharsis,” Kunmie’s “Before We Became Strangers,” and Tay Iwar’s “Reflection Station.”
Ayra Starr’s “Hot Body” is having a moment of its own, showing up in Song of the Year, Viewers’ Choice, and pulling in production nominations for both Sarz and Ragee.
Regional and Diaspora Categories Widen the Net
The Headies continues to build out its pan African and diaspora categories, and this year’s list reflects that growth. West African Artiste brings in Ghana’s Black Sherif, KiDi, King Promise, Moliy, and Stonebwoy alongside Côte d’Ivoire’s Himra and Senegal’s Wally B. Seck. East African Artiste features Kenya’s Bien, Tanzania’s Harmonize and Abigail Chams, Rwanda’s Bruce Melodie, and Uganda’s Joshua Baraka.
Central African Artiste is anchored by a strong Congolese presence, with Fally Ipupa, Ferré Gola, Héritier Watanabe, Hiro, and Innoss’B all shortlisted alongside Cameroon’s Locko. North African Artiste rounds out the continental categories with Tunisia’s Balti, Morocco’s Dystinct, Egypt’s Marwan Moussa and Tul8te, and Algeria’s Soolking.
New this year is the African Diaspora-Canadian Artiste category, a clear nod to the Toronto hosting, featuring Debby Friday, Tôme, Bolu Ajibade, Nonso Amadi, Rooky Kamiz, and Tobi.
International Artiste of the Year, which recognises non African stars with visible ties to the sound or the culture, lists Ciara, Dave, Gunna, Jazmine Sullivan, Shenseea, and Tiakola.
Hall of Fame and Special Recognition
Congolese music legend Awilo Longomba will be inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame this year, a nod to his decades long influence on the sound that eventually shaped much of what Afrobeats and its neighbouring genres became. Entertainment executive Cecil Hammond will receive the Special Recognition Award for his contributions behind the scenes of the industry.
The Producers Behind the Records
Producer of the Year nominees are Magicsticks, P.Priime, Ragee, Sarz, and Tempoe. Magicsticks earns his nomination for his work across Asake and Wizkid’s “Jogodo” and their joint project “Real, Vol. 1.” P.Priime’s spread is arguably the widest in the category, covering “MMS,” “Baby (Is It a Crime),” and “Billionaires Club.” Tempoe picks up his nomination for his work on “With You” and Joeboy’s “SMH.”
What This Nomination List Says About the Year
Taken together, the 2026 Headies nominations paint a picture of an industry in transition. The old guard, Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy, are still very much in the conversation, but they are no longer running away with it. Fola’s ten nominations, Omah Lay’s eight, and the strength of names like Mavo, Kunmie, Shoday, and Amaeya suggest a genuine changing of the guard is underway, even if the biggest names haven’t been dethroned just yet.
The Toronto staging also confirms something the Headies has been building toward for a few years now: this is no longer strictly a Nigerian award show handing out trophies to Nigerian artists in a Nigerian room. It is becoming a continental and diaspora spanning event, one that increasingly treats its audience in North America, the UK, and across Africa as core to the show rather than an afterthought.
Winners will be announced when the 18th Headies Awards holds in Toronto on October 25.
Full Nominee List by Category
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
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 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)
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 How Do You? — Amaeya 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
Digital Artiste of the Year Asake, Ayra Starr, BNXN, Chella, Fola, Mavo, Seyi Vibez, Wizkid
Next Rated Fido, Fola, Llona, Mavo, Shoday
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
Music Video of the Year Director Pink — 10 Kilo — Davido Dammy Twitch — With You — Davido TG Omori — Afroculture — Flavour ft Baaba Maal Jyde Ajala — Wizard Chan DK — Bundle by Bundle — Burna Boy
Best Female Artiste Ayra Starr, Qing Madi, Sewa, Tems, Teni, Tiwa Savage
Best Male Artiste Adekunle Gold, Asake, Fola, Mavo, Rema, Wizkid, Burna Boy
Rookie of the Year Amma, Danpapa Gta, Firstklaz, Kidd Carder, No11, Priesst, OG Abbah
Best Inspirational Single Amioluwa — Sunmisola Agbebi ft Yinka Okeleye Favour — Lawrence Oyor Idinma (You Are Good) — Sinach Korin Iyin (I Will Praise You) — EmmaOMG No Turning Back 2 — Gaise Baba ft Lawrence Oyor We Move — Mercy Chinwo
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
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
Special Recognition Award Cecil Hammond
Best Street-Hop Artiste Famous Pluto — Na Scra Kashcoming — All My Money Poco Lee — Hey Jago ft Shoday and Rahman Jago Seyi Vibez — Shaolin Shallipopi — Laho Tuff King — Nkemakonam Rybeena — Gaddem ft Shoday
International Artiste of the Year Ciara, Dave, Gunna, Jazmine Sullivan, Shenseea, Tiakola
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?
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 and King Promise — See What We’ve Done Chief Priest ft Spyki — Finally
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
East African Artiste Abigail Chams (Tanzania), Bien (Kenya), Bruce Melodie (Rwanda), Harmonize (Tanzania), Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
West African Artiste Black Sherif (Ghana), Himra (Côte d’Ivoire), KiDi (Ghana), King Promise (Ghana), Moliy (Ghana), Wally B. Seck (Senegal), Stonebwoy (Ghana)
Best Alternative Song CYK Baddie — Luwa.mp4 ft Jeleel! Lagos Lovin — Sewa Oliver — Wizard Chan Omo to Sexy — Binde Prada Baby — Wavestar Sweet Danger — Obongjayar Summer Adina — Chief Priest ft BoyPee & Zoro Swagbag
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)
Rap Single 2:02 PM in London — Odumodublvck ACi — Blaqbonez Man2Man — Dremo Moshood — PDSTRN Nkemakonam — Tuff King Wuse Tu — Zaylevelten, Mavo John Wick — Zhus Jdo
R&B Single 6:35 — Layefa How Do You? — Amaeya I Love You — Amma What You Need — Tems Winter & Summer — Magixx You4Me — Tiwa Savage
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
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
Original Song for Visual Media All My Love — Osas Okonyon & Abbey Wonder, from Evi Behind the Scenes — Funke Akindele & Tolu Obanro, from Behind the Scenes Save Me — Oscar Heman-Ackah & 2Baba, from To Kill a Monkey Only in Lagos — WurlD & Liya, from Christmas in Lagos
Lyricist on the Roll Blaqbonez — ACi Dremo — Man2Man Modenine — If You Like Gym with Odumodublvck PDSTRN — Moshood Ycee — Man2Man (Ycee Remix) with Dremo