The Headies have officially unveiled the nominations for the 18th edition of the Headies Awards, setting the stage for one of the biggest nights on the African music calendar.

The 2026 ceremony, themed “Africa to the World,” will take place in Toronto, Canada, as the Nigerian music awards continue their expansion onto the global stage. The official Headies nominations list confirms that music released between August 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026 was eligible for consideration.

Major categories at the 18th Headies

The 2026 edition features more than 30 award categories covering recorded music, songwriting, production, performance, regional representation and international impact.

Among the major categories are Album of the Year, Afrobeats Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Female Artiste, Best Male Artiste, Next Rated, Rookie of the Year, Digital Artiste of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best R&B Album, Best Rap Album and International Artiste of the Year.

The awards have also expanded their international focus with categories recognising artists from different parts of Africa, as well as a Best African Diaspora-Canadian Artiste category.

Album of the Year nominees

One of the night’s biggest categories is Album of the Year, which recognises the strongest overall album or EP within the eligibility period.

Among the projects already identified in published nominee announcements are:

• 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

The category is expected to be one of the most closely contested of the night, given the number of commercially successful Nigerian projects released during the eligibility period.

Afrobeats categories

The Afrobeats Single of the Year and Afrobeats Album of the Year categories remain among the most important awards of the night, reflecting the genre’s dominant position in Nigerian music.

The official Headies list confirms that both categories return for the 18th edition, with Afrobeats albums and singles judged on factors including songwriting, production, rendition and cultural impact.

The nominations also reflect the increasingly diverse nature of Nigerian pop, with established stars competing alongside younger acts who have emerged during the eligibility period.

Next Rated and Rookie of the Year

The Next Rated award remains one of the most anticipated categories because of its history of identifying artists who go on to become major stars.

The category recognises an emerging artiste considered most likely to achieve mainstream superstardom, with eligible material including singles, EPs and albums.

The Rookie of the Year category, meanwhile, focuses on artists who achieved a breakthrough during the year and had not released a commercially distributed full-length album before the eligibility period.

International recognition expands

The 18th Headies continues the awards’ push beyond Nigeria with categories dedicated to artists from West, East, North and Central Africa.

The ceremony will also recognise a Best African Diaspora-Canadian Artiste, reflecting the decision to stage this year’s ceremony in Toronto.

The International Artiste of the Year category will honour a non-African artist or group that has made a significant contribution to the global growth of Afrobeats.

A new chapter in Toronto

The move to Toronto represents another significant step in The Headies’ internationalisation.

The awards previously held editions in the United States before returning to Nigeria for the 17th edition. The 18th edition now takes the ceremony to Canada under the banner “Africa to the World.”

The official Headies calendar lists the 18th Headies Awards ceremony for October 23, 2026, in Toronto, alongside a week of related activities including the Headies Creative Summit, Trade & Investment Summit, nominees’ events and red carpet.

With Wizkid, Tems, Ayra Starr, Davido, Rema, Asake, Burna Boy and a new generation of African stars competing across the categories, the 18th Headies is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in the awards’ history.

The nominations are now out. The race for the 18th Headies begins.

Full nomination list on the Headies website.