2026 Headies Awards: Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy Lead Star-Studded Nominations
The 18th Headies Awards has unveiled a highly competitive nomination list, with Nigerian music heavyweights Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy featuring prominently across major categories.
The 2026 edition, themed “Africa to the World,” will take place in Toronto, Canada, highlighting the growing global influence of African music. The official Headies platform confirms Toronto as the host city.
See the official Headies website
Major Nominees to Watch
Davido’s “With You” featuring Omah Lay earns nominations including Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording and Best Headies Collaboration.
Wizkid also makes a strong showing with “MMS” featuring Asake, “Jogodo”, and his album Morayo, while competing for Best Male Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year and Viewers’ Choice.
Burna Boy is nominated for “Bundle by Bundle,” while his album No Sign of Weakness competes for Afrobeats Album of the Year.
The Next Rated category is also attracting attention, with emerging talents including Fido, Fola, Llona, Mavo and Shoday.
What This Means for Emerging Artistes
The nominations demonstrate that Nigeria’s music industry continues to create opportunities beyond established stars. Upcoming musicians can learn from these nominees by investing in quality music, songwriting, production, digital promotion and consistent branding.
The Headies has also opened opportunities for unsigned talents through its official Open Verse Challenge, giving aspiring artistes a chance to perform at the Toronto event.
“Africa to the World” captures the growing ambition to take African creativity to international audiences.
The 2026 Headies nominations showcase both established stars and emerging talents, proving that Nigeria’s creative industry has significant global potential. For upcoming artistes, the biggest takeaway is simple: develop your talent, build your audience, and stay consistent.
