![Fola, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr Lead 2026 Headies Nominations [FULL LIST]](/_nuxt/oca-placeholder.CTME4uEf.png)
Rising Nigerian singer Fola has emerged as the leading nominee for the 18th edition of The Headies, securing 10 nominations as the organisers unveiled the nominees for the 2026 awards on Tuesday.
Fola’s nominations span several major categories, including Album of the Year, Best Male Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best Recording of the Year and Next Rated, following the success of his debut album, Catharsis. His nominations place him ahead of some of Africa’s biggest music stars and underline the growing presence of a new generation of Nigerian artistes on the continent’s biggest award platforms.
Omah Lay follows with eight nominations, while Mavo and Wizkid each received seven. Davido and Asake are also among the leading nominees with six nominations apiece. Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead the female nominees with five nominations each.
The 18th Headies, themed “Africa to the World,” is scheduled to be held in Toronto, Canada, on October 25, 2026. The international staging continues the awards’ effort to position African music on a wider global platform after previous editions were held outside Nigeria.
Leading New Generation
Fola’s strong showing is one of the biggest talking points from this year’s nominations, particularly as he competes alongside established names for some of the ceremony’s biggest prizes.
His Catharsis album earned recognition in both Album of the Year and Best R&B Album, while “You” was nominated for Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year and Viewers’ Choice.
Omah Lay’s eight nominations also reflect the impact of his recent releases, with his collaboration with Davido, “With You,” featuring prominently across the nominations. The song is in contention for Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Collaboration, Music Video of the Year and Viewers’ Choice.
Mavo, another emerging name, also secured seven nominations, reinforcing the growing influence of younger artistes alongside established stars such as Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy and Asake.
The Next Rated category further reflects this changing landscape, with Fido, Fola, Llona, Mavo and Shoday competing for the award given to an emerging artiste considered to have the potential for mainstream success. The official Headies description says the category recognises an artiste poised for mainstream superstardom.
Major Categories Feature Top African Stars
The Song of the Year category features six contenders: Kunmie’s “Arike,” Poco Lee, Shoday and Rahman Jago’s “Hey Jago,” Ayra Starr’s “Hot Body,” Fido’s “Joy Is Coming,” Asake and Wizkid’s “MMS,” and Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You.”
The Afrobeats Single of the Year category includes Rema’s “Fun,” Asake and Wizkid’s “Jogodo,” Shallipopi’s “Laho,” Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You,” Fola’s “You,” and Burna Boy’s “Bundle by Bundle.”
The Afrobeats Album of the Year race is equally competitive, with Davido’s 5ive, BNXN’s Captain, Omah Lay’s Clarity of Mind, Adekunle Gold’s Fuji, Wizkid’s Morayo and Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness nominated.
For Album of the Year, Catharsis by Fola, Tiwa Savage’s This One Is Personal, Wizkid’s Morayo, Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness, Omah Lay’s Clarity of Mind, Erigga’s G.O.A.T and Odumodublvck’s The Machine Is Coming are among the contenders.
The Best Male Artiste category features Adekunle Gold, Asake, Fola, Mavo, Rema, Wizkid and Burna Boy, while the Best Female Artiste category has Ayra Starr, Qing Madi, Sewa, Tems, Teni and Tiwa Savage.
Davido and Omah Lay’s “With You” is one of the most prominent songs in this year’s nominations, appearing in several major categories.
The track competes for Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Collaboration and Viewers’ Choice, while its music video is also nominated for Music Video of the Year.
Other notable categories include Best Performer (Live), where Adekunle Gold, Asake, Ayra Starr, Johnny Drille and Ruger are nominated.
The Best R&B Album category features Kunmie’s Before We Became Strangers, Fola’s Catharsis, Qing Madi’s I Am the Blueprint, Tems’ Love Is a Kingdom, Tay Iwar’s Reflection Station and Tiwa Savage’s This One Is Personal.
Longomba, Hammond To Receive Special Honours
The 18th Headies will also recognise two prominent figures for their contributions to African entertainment.
Congolese music legend Awilo Longomba will be inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame, an honour reserved for individuals of African descent who have demonstrated outstanding impact on the continent’s entertainment industry.
Nigerian entertainment executive Cecil Hammond will receive the Special Recognition Award for his contribution to African entertainment.
The honours add a continental dimension to an edition that is already emphasising the global reach of African music.
Global Footprint Expansion
The 18th edition comes after the 17th Headies returned to Nigeria following two consecutive editions in Atlanta, United States.
The 17th ceremony, themed “Back to Base,” was held at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos on April 27, 2025. It saw Rema’s Heis win Album of the Year and Afrobeats Album of the Year, while Odumodublvck won the Next Rated award and Zerry DL emerged as Rookie of the Year. Tems won Best Recording of the Year for “Burning”, while Davido took home Digital Artiste of the Year.
The ceremony also honoured the late singer Mohbad, whose collaboration with Chike, “Egwu,” won both Best Music Video and Viewers’ Choice, while Mohbad received the Best Street-Hop Artiste award posthumously.
However, the 17th edition was affected by technical and scheduling problems, with several categories left without on-night announcements. Reports said the ceremony ended before awards including Best Collaboration, Best R&B Single, Best Rap Album and Best Performer (Live) could be presented.
With the 18th edition now moving to Toronto, the organisers are once again taking the Headies beyond Nigeria, this time under the broader theme “Africa to the World.”
According to the organisers, the eligibility period covers singles, videos, EPs and albums released and distributed on digital streaming platforms between August 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026. The awards include both voting and non-voting categories, with the latter determined by judges.
The 2026 nominations comprise 213 nominations across 35 categories, bringing together established African stars, emerging artistes and international acts. The International Artiste of the Year category includes Ciara, Dave, Gunna, Jazmine Sullivan, Shenseea and Tiakola.
BEST ALTERNATIVE SONG
Luwa Mp4, Jeleel! – Cyk Baddie
Sewa – Lagos Lovin
Wizard Chan – Oliver
Blnde – Omo to sexy
Wave$tar – Prada Baby
Obongjayar – Sweet Danger
Chief Priest, Boypee, Zoro – Summer Adina
BEST ORIGINAL SONG FOR VISUAL MEDIA
All My Love — Osas Okonyon & Abbey Wonder, from Evi
Behind the Scenes — Funke Akindele & Tolu Obanro, from Behind the Scenes
Save Me — Oscar Heman-Ackah & 2Baba, from To Kill a Monkey
Only in Lagos — WurlD & Liya, from Christmas in Lagos
AFRICAN DIASPORA CANADIAN ARTISTE
Debby Friday — Lipsync
Tôme — CC ft Alpha P
Bolu Ajibade — Diana with Friyie
Nonso Amadi — Dive In
Rooky Kamiz — Deeper
Tobi — Out the Mud
EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE
Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
Bien (Kenya)
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Harmonize (Tanzania)
Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Himra (Côte d’Ivoire)
KiDi (Ghana)
King Promise (Ghana)
Moliy (Ghana)
Wally B. Seck (Senegal)
NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE
Balti (Tunisia)
Dystinct (Morocco)
Marwan Moussa (Egypt)
Soolking (Algeria)
Tul8te (Egypt)
Stonebwoy (Ghana)
CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE
Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
Ferré Gola (DR Congo)
Héritier Watanabe (DR Congo)
Hiro (DR Congo)
Innoss’B (DR Congo)
Locko (Cameroon)
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE
Amioluwa — Sunmisola Agbebi ft Yinka Okeleye
Favour — Lawrence Oyor
Idinma (You Are Good) — Sinach
Korin Iyin (I Will Praise You) — EmmaOMG
No Turning Back 2 — Gaise Baba ft Lawrence Oyor
We Move — Mercy Chinwo
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
10 Kilo (Davido) — Director Pink
Afroculture (Flavour, Baaba Maal) — TG Omori
Bundle by Bundle (Burna Boy) — DK
Kai (Olamide, Wizkid) — Jyde Ajala
Whos Dat Girl (Ayra Starr, Rema) — Meji Alabi
With You (Davido, Omah Lay) — Dammy Twitch
BEST RAP ALBUM
Tuff King – Black Sheepizen
AQ- GE3
Erigga – G.O.A.T
Jeriq – King
Blaqbonez – No excuses
Odumodublvck – The machine is coming
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
LAYEFA – 6:35
AMAEYA – How do you?
Sewa – Lagos Lovin
Qing Madi – Scumbag
Liya – Skin to Skin
Tiwa Savage – You4me
BEST COLLABORATION
CKay & Mavo — Body (Danz)
Mavo & Wave$tar — Escaladizzy
Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago — Hey Jago
Fola, Kizz Daniel – Lost
Odumodublvck & Victony — Pity This Boy
Davido & Omah Lay — With You
Mr Eazi & King Promise — See What We’ve Done
Chief Priest & Spyki — Finally
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
Adekunle Gold – Im not done
Flavour – Orente
Magixx – Winter & Summer
Odeal – Patience
Syemca – Love Egbugomo
Tay Iwar – Bad Belle
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Ciara
Dave
GUNNA
Jazmine Sullivan
SHENSEEA
TIAKOLA
BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTIST
CIZA
DJ MAPHORISA
JAZZWRLD
KABZA DE SMALL
TYLA
UNCLE WAFFLES
AFROBEATS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Davido – 5ive
Bnxn – Captain
Omah Lay – Clarity of Mind
Adekunle Gold – Fuji
Wizkid – Morayo
Burna Boy – No Sign of Weakness
BEST RAP SINGLE
2:02PM in London — ODUMODUBLVCK
ACL — Blaqbonez
Man2Man — Dremo
PDSTRN — Moshood
Nkemakonam — Tuff King
Wuse Tu — Zaylevelten, Mavo
John Wick — Zhus Jdo
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE
Ayra Starr
QING MADI
SEWA
Tems
Teni
Tiwa Savage
BEST MALE ARTISTE
Adekunle Gold
Asake
FOLA
MAVO
Rema
Wizkid
Burna Boy
SONG WRITER OF THE YEAR
Adekunle Gold
Victony
WIZARD CHAN
FOLA
KUNMIE
AMAEYA
BEST STREET HOP ARTISTE
FAMOUS PLUTO
KASHCOMING
POCO LEE
SEYI VIBEZ
SHALLIPOPI
TUFF KING
RYBEENA
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
AMMA
DANPAPA GTA
FIRSTKLAZ
KIDD CARDER
NO11
PRIESST
OG ABBAH
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Fola – Catharsis
Omah Lay – Clarity of Mind
Erigga – G.O.A.T
Wizkid – Morayo
Odumodublvck – The Machine is coming
Tiwa Savage – This one is personal
Burna Boy – No Sign of Weakness
NEXT RATED
FIDO
FOLA
LLONA
MAVO
SHODAY
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
MAGICSTICKS
P. PRIIME
RAGEE
SARZ
TEMPOE
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Kunmie — Arike
Amaeya — How Do You?
Rema — Baby (Is It A Crime)
OMAH LAY ft. ELMAH — Coping Mechanism
Davido ft. OMAH LAY — With You
FOLA — you
BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
Showdemcamp – Afrika Magik
Sewa – Detox
Boj – Duplicity
Wizard Chan – Healers Chapel
Scottyolorin – Olorin Pack
Zaylevelten – Then 1t Got Crazy
HEADIES VIEWERS CHOICE
Ayra Starr — Hot Body
Mavo — Escaladizzy ft. WAVE$TAR
Davido — With You ft. OMAH LAY
Rema — Baby (Is It A Crime)
FOLA — you
Wizkid — Jogodo with Asake
Kunmie — Arike
BEST R&B ALBUM
Kunmie – Before We Became Strangers
Fola – Catharsis
Qing Madi – I am the Blueprint
Tems – Love is a kingdom
Tay Iwar – Reflection Station
Tiwa Savage – This one is personal
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
Blaqbonez – ACL
Dremo – Man2Man
Modenine – If you like Gym w/ Odumodublvck
Pdstrn – Moshood
Ycee – Man2man Remix w/ Dremo
SONG OF THE YEAR
Kunmie – Arike
Poco lee, Shoday, Rahman Jago – Hey Jago
Ayra Starr – Hot Body
Fido – Joy is Coming
Asake, Wizkid – MMS
Davido, Omah Lay – With You
BEST PERFORMER (LIVE)
Adekunle Gold – Live at 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, 2025
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
Asake
Ayra Starr
BNXN
Chella
FOLA
MAVO
Seyi Vibez
Wizkid
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Rema – Fun
Wizkid, Asake – Jogodo
Fido – Joy is Coming
Davido, Omah Lay – With You
Fola – You
Burna Boy – Bundle by Bundle
The post Fola, Omah Lay, Ayra Starr Lead 2026 Headies Nominations [FULL LIST] appeared first on Channels Television.