Category: Events

The anticipation for the 17th Headies Awards has officially begun as organisers have unveiled the complete list of nominees for this year’s edition. The prestigious Nigerian music awards, which celebrate excellence in the African music industry, continue to highlight the artists pushing creative boundaries and making waves both locally and globally.

The 17th Headies Awards will take place on April 5, 2025, recognising achievements from the 2024 edition, while the 18th Headies Awards, honouring the 2025 edition, is scheduled for December 2025.

The nominations reflect a diverse mix of industry heavyweights, rising stars, and innovative music creators across various categories. As the countdown to the 2024 Headies Awards begins, fans and critics are already discussing potential winners and the impact of this year’s nominees.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

A voting category for the rookie of the year who has had a successful year musically with the absence of an album in the year under review.

ZERRY DL

TAVES

KAESTYLE

LLONA 

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

A non-voting category for the best recording (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence; songwriting, production, rendition) by an artiste or group in the year under review.

TEMS – BURNING

DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ*

HIGHER – BURNA BOY

LAST HEARTBREAK SONG – AYRA STARR & GIVEON

BILLIONS – SARZ FEATURING LOJAY

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

A non-voting category for the writer of a song (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence, composition, arrangement, rendition) in the year under review.

SIMISOLA KOSOKO  – STRANGER (SIMI)

CHIMAMANDA PEARL CHUKWUMA  – VISION (QING MADI)

MICHAEL AJUMA ATTAH  – CAN’T BREATHE (LLONA)

EMOSEH KHAMOFU – FAMILY MEETING (BLOODY CIVILIAN)

FUAYEFIKA MAXWELL  –  STAGES OF LIFE (WIZARD CHAN)

BEST R&B SINGLE

A category for the best r&b single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).

QING MADI – VISION

JOHNNY DRILLE – FOR YOU

SIMI – STRANGER

TEMS – BURNING

AYRA STARR – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG FT. GIVEON

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

An individual or collection of people responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.

SARZ – HAPPINESS

LONDON – OZEBA

MAGICSTICK – BASQUIAT

REMA/PRODUCER X/CUBEATZ/DEATZ/KILMBERBOY – HEHEHE

DIBS – DIFFERENT PATTERN

BEST RAP SINGLE

A voting category for a single (released on-air and streaming platforms) recording of a rap song.

CAST FEAT ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPPI

BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR FEAT BLOODY CIVILIAN & WALE – ODUMODUBLVCK

HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE, ROZZZ & MORRELO

CANADA – MAGNITO

IJE NWOKE – JERIQ

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)

A non-voting category for the single female artiste with most outstanding vocal performances on a single or album.

AYRA STARR – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG

NINIOLA – LEVEL

SIMI – STRANGER

LIYA – I’M DONE

TOMORROW – YEMI ALADE

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)

A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.

LOJAY – BILLIONS

OMAH LAY – MOVING

ANENDLESSOCEAN – GRATITUDE

JOHNNY DRILLE – FOR YOU

TIMI DAKOLO – KE NA KE SO

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

A voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.

CHARM – REMA (REMA X PERLIKS X FOLARIN OLUDARE)

METAVERSE – OLAMIDE (JYDE AJALA)

LIKE ICE SPICE – BLAQBONEZ (PERLIKS & EMEKA SHINE SHINE)

OJAPIANO – KCEE (MATTMAX)  

EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD (DIRECTOR PINK)

SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL (TG OMORI) 

NA MONEY – DAVIDO FT. CAVEMEN, ANGELIQUE KIDJO (DAMMY TWITCH) 

BEST COLLABORATION

A voting category for the best r&b, pop, hip-hop or Afrobeats collaborative track (including cameos).

EMOTIONS – TIWA SAVAGE FEAT. ASA

BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR ODUMODUBLVCK, BLOODY CIVILIAN, AND WALE

CAST – SHALLIPOPI FT ODUMODUBLVCK

EGWU – CHIKE AND MOHBAD

OLE – QING MADI AND BNXN

TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL AND DAVIDO

IDK – WIZKID FT. ZLATAN 

BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE

A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.

SEYI VIBEZ – “DIFFERENT PATTERNS”

AYO MAFF – DEALER (FT. FIREBOY DL)

SHALLIPOPI – CAST (FT. ODUMODUBLVCK)

ZHUS JDO – JOHNBULL 

MOHBAD – ASK ABOUT ME

AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR

A voting category for the best Afrobeats single in the year under review (by single individual or group).

BIG BIG THINGS – YOUNG JONN FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ

TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL

EGWU FEAT. MOHBAD – CHIKE

REMEMBER – ASAKE

OGECHI REMIX – HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL FT. DAVIDO

BIG BALLER – FLAVOR 

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL

A non-voting category for the rapper with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album in the year under review

MOGADISHU – A-Q

CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – M.I ABAGA

CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – BLAQBONEZ

HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE

EFELEME – ALPHA OJINI

BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE

A voting award category for the best inspirational single in the year under review (by an individual or group).

GRATITUDE – ANENDLESSOCEAN

WORTHY OF MY PRAISE – DUNSIN OYEKAN FT. LAWRENCE OYOR

GOOD GOD 2 – LIMOBLAZE FT. NAOMI RAINE

PARTICULARLY – GAISE BABA FT. TOPE ALABI

YOU DO THIS ONE – MERCY CHINWO

HEADIES’ VIEWERS’ CHOICE

A voting category to award the fans’ favorite artiste with the most digital tractions (downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.

BIG BIG THINGS FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ – YOUNG JONN

OGECHI REMIX FT. DAVIDO – HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL

EGWU – CHIKE & MOHBAD

SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL

DIFFERENT PATTERN – SEYI VIBEZ

OZEBA – REMA

LOVE ME JEJE – TEMS

CAST FT. ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPI

DEALER FT. FIREBOY DML – AYO MAFF

BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR

BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR 

A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Western African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review. 

BLACK SHERIF (GHANA) 

KING PROMISE (GHANA)  

HIMRA (IVORY COAST)

JOSEY (IVORY COAST) 

TOOFAN (TOGO) 

BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR 

A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Eastern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review. 

BIEN (KENYA) 

DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA) 

JUMA JUX (TANZANIA) 

BRUCE MELODIE (RWANDA) 

AZAWI (UGANDA) 

BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR 

A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Northern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review. 

MOHAMED RAMADAN (EGYPT) 

ELGRANDE TOTO (MOROCCO) 

SOOLKING (ALGERIA)  

BALTI (TUNISIA) 

ABU (EYGPT) 

BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR 

A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Southern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review. 

TITOM (SOUTH AFRICA) 

YUPPE (SOUTH AFRICA) 

TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA) 

KELLY KAY (MALAWI) 

 PLUTONIO (MOZAMBIQUE) 

 ZEE NXUMALO (SOUTH AFRICA) 

BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR 

A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Central African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review. 

INNOSS’B (DRC) 

GAZ MAWETE (DRC)

EMMA’A (GABON) 

EBOLOKO (GABON) 

SINGUILA. (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC) 

KOCEE (CAMEROUN) 

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

A voting award category for a non-African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact on Afrobeats

WALE – BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR (ODUMODUBLVCK)

SKEPTA – TONY MONTANA (FT. PORTABLE)

CHRIS BROWN – HMMM (FT. DAVIDO)

TRAVIS SCOTT – ACTIVE (ASAKE)

CHLOE BAILEY – VISION REMIX (QING MADI)

BEST RAP ALBUM

A non-voting category for the best album by a rap artiste or group in the year under review.

SIDEH KAI – ILLBLISS

EZIOKWU – ODUMODUBLVCK

ALAYE TOH SE GOGO VOL. 1 – REMINISCE

FAMILY TIME – ERIGGA

SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME – MODENINE

SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEAR

This is a non-voting category for a song written and composed originally for use in a motion picture or series.

ELEDUMARE – TELEDALESE (ANIKULAPO: RISE OF THE SPECTRE)

LOSE TO GAIN – KALINE (BREATH OF LIFE) 

KILL BORO – NATIVE FILMWORKS & WIZARD CHAN (KILL BORO) 

ORISA – BERIOLA (ORISA)

EMOTIONS – TIWA SAVAGE & ASA (WATER AND GARRI)

⁠TRIBE CALLED JUDAH SOUNDTRACK – TCJ & ABBEY WONDER (A TRIBE CALLED JUDAH)

NEXT RATED

This category is a voting category for the most promising act (with a single, EP or Album) in the year under review.

QING MADI

SHALLIPOPI

ODUMODUBLVCK

AYO MAFF

NASBOI

AFROBEATS ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A voting category for the best Afrobeats single in the year under review (by single individual or group).

STUBBORN – VICTONY

WORK OF ART – ASAKE

THE YEAR I TURN 21 – AYRA STARR

HEIS – REMA

JIGGY FOREVER – YOUNG JONN

BEST PERFORMER (LIVE)

A non-voting category for the artist with the most outstanding live performance in front of an audience by singing, or playing a musical instrument. The live performance must have been recorded and officially released in video format – streaming, TV and physical media.

REMA – RAVAGE UPRISING: REMA LIVE FROM THE O2, LONDON

OMAH LAY – LIVE AT L’OLYMPIA PARIS

FLAVOUR – CELEBRATING YOU 2023

WIZARD CHAN – LIVE IN CONCERT PORT HARCOURT

BURNA BOY – AFRICAN GIANT LIVE FROM LONDON

FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE – NUITS DE FOURVIÈRE (ARTE CONCERT)

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.

KINGSLEY CHINWEIKE OKONKWO a.k.a KCEE

DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

A voting award category for an individual Nigerian artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact digitally in the year under review.

AYRA STARR

REMA

SHALLIPOPI

TEMS

DAVIDO

KIZZ DANIEL

ASAKE

SONG OF THE YEAR

A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.

SHOWA – KIZZ DANIEL

COMMAS – AYRA STARR

EGWU – CHIKE AND MOHBAD

LONELY AT THE TOP – ASAKE

OZEBA – REMA

BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in the year under review, that meets judges’ requirements of excellence (songwriting, production, rendition and impact).

BORN IN THE WILD – TEMS

HEIS – REMA

THE YEAR I TURNED 21 – AYRA STARR

STUBBORN – VICTONY

WORK OF ART – ASAKE

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

This category is a voting category for the most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review

DAVIDO

AYRA STARR

ASAKE

REMA

TEMS

BURNA BOY

With a mix of industry veterans and fresh talents dominating the nominations, the 2025 Headies Awards promise to be an exciting event. As fans eagerly await the ceremony, discussions about who will take home the coveted trophies continue to intensify.

Stay tuned for more updates on the 17th Headies Awards 2025 as we count down to one of the biggest nights in Nigerian and African music.