Fola, Omah Lay, Wizkid Leads Headies 2026 Nominations
Organisers of The Headies have released the full nomination list for the 2026 edition. The 18th edition, themed “Africa to the World,” was announced on Instagram yesterday.
NEWSCARTE reported that this year’s ceremony will hold in Toronto, Canada, on October 25.
A total of 213 nominations were announced across all categories. Singer Fola tops the list with 10 nominations. Omah Lay follows with 8 nods, while Wizkid and Mavo both secured 7 nominations each.
For the female categories, Tiwa Savage and Ayra Starr led with 5 nominations each.
Key Categories are:
Song 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
Afrobeats Single of the Year
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
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
Best Male Artiste
Fola
Asake
Mavo
Wizkid
Rema
Burna Boy
Adekunle Gold
Best Female Artiste
Tiwa Savage
Ayra Starr
Sewa
Qing Madi
Tems
Teni
Digital Artiste of the Year
Ayra Starr, Asake, BNXN, Seyi Vibez, Fola, Mavo, Wizkid, Chella
Next Rated
Fola, Shoday, Llona, Mavo, Fido
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
BY ABDULBAQI JIBREEL AJAO
