The Headies, Africa’s leading entertainment awards, has released its nominations list ahead of the 18th ceremony, holding this October in Toronto, Canada. The list features 218 nominations spread across 35 categories, celebrating the biggest names and breakout stars who defined African music in the period under review (August 1, 2024 – April 30, 2026).

Fola is the most nominated act with 10 nods, including Album of the Year, Next Rated, Songwriter of the Year and Best Male Artiste, off the back of his acclaimed debut album CATHARSIS. Omah Lay follow closely with 8 as Davido, Mavo and Wizkid follow with 7 nominations each.

Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead the female nominees with 5 nods each, while Breakout artiste Kunmie is also nominated 5 times, including Song of the Year for his standout single, “Arike.” Adekunle Gold, Odumodublvck, and Shoday round out the 5-nomination tier.

Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You” is the most-nominated song, appearing in six categories: Recording of the Year, Music Video, Best Collaboration, Afrobeats Single, Viewers’ Choice, and Song of the Year. Best Collaboration itself is one of the most competitive categories on this year’s list, with 9 entries reflecting the sheer volume of standout joint records that defined the year, from Olamide’s star-studded posse cut “99” to Mr Eazi and King Promise’s “See What We’ve Done.”

The Next Rated category delivers a stacked field of rising stars which are Fido, FOLA, Llona, Mavo, and Shoday – while Rookie of the Year spotlights fresh breakout talent in Amma, Danpapa GTA, FirstKlaz, Kidd Carder, NO11, Priesst and OG Abbah.

Album of the Year brings together 7 of the year’s most celebrated projects: CATHARSIS (Fola), CLARITY OF MIND (Omah Lay), G.O.A.T (Erigga), MORAYO (Wizkid), NO SIGN OF WEAKNESS (Burna Boy), THE MACHINE IS COMING (Odumodublvck), and THIS ONE IS PERSONAL (Tiwa Savage).

This year’s ceremony will have artists in the Alternative genre shining as they have earned nominations in the general categories, while the Headies’ regional awards are extended across 16 African countries, alongside categories for International Artiste of the Year and Best Canadian/African Diaspora Artiste, underscoring the Headies’ continued push as a truly continental and global award.

Legendary Congolese artiste Awilo Longomba will receive the iconic HEADIES HALL OF FAME AWARD, while Cecil Hammond will be honoured with the SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD for his lasting contributions to African entertainment.

The 18th Headies Awards is themed “Africa to the World” and will take place on October 25, 2026, in Toronto, Canada.

See the full nominations list. Voting details and other information will be announced later.

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 Davido

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

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

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