Photo credit: The Headies
FOLA leads the 18th Headies nominations with 10 nods, putting him ahead of some of the biggest names in African music.
Omah Lay follows with eight nominations, while Mavo and Wizkid have seven each. Davido and Asake also recorded six nominations apiece.
For FOLA, however, the story goes beyond simply receiving multiple nominations.
The singer's debut album, Catharsis, is competing for Album of the Year, while he is also nominated for Best Male Artiste, Next Rated, Digital Artiste of the Year, Best R&B Album, Best Recording of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Best Collaboration, Afrobeats Single of the Year and Headies Viewers' Choice.
That is a serious statement from an artiste who is still considered part of Nigeria's new generation.
The nominations were announced on August 25, 2026, ahead of the 18th edition of The Headies, themed "Africa to the World." Channels Television reported that the ceremony is scheduled for Toronto, Canada, in October, while the official Headies website is promoting Toronto as the new international home of the awards.
So, who made the list?
Which artistes received the most nominations?
And which categories could produce the biggest surprises?
Here is the complete breakdown.
FOLA Leads the 2026 Headies Nominations
FOLA is the biggest headline from this year's nominations.
According to Channels Television and TheCable Lifestyle, he leads the list with 10 nominations.
Omah Lay follows with eight, while Mavo and Wizkid have seven each. Davido and Asake have six nominations apiece.
Among female artistes, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead with five nominations each.
Kunmie also has five nominations, while Adekunle Gold, Odumodublvck and Shoday are among the other artistes with five nominations.
The numbers show something interesting about the 18th Headies.
The established superstars are still heavily represented, but several younger artistes are now competing with them for the biggest awards.
Why FOLA's 10 Nominations Matter
FOLA's nomination haul is arguably the biggest story of the 2026 Headies.
His album Catharsis is nominated for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album.
His song "You" also received nominations in major categories, including Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year and Headies Viewers' Choice.
FOLA is also in contention for Best Male Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year, Next Rated, Best Collaboration and Songwriter of the Year.
In other words, FOLA is not simply being recognised as an emerging artiste.
He is competing directly against some of the biggest names in African music.
That could make his performance at the 18th Headies one of the biggest stories of the night.
Next Rated
The Next Rated category is traditionally one of the most closely watched awards at The Headies.
It recognises an emerging artiste considered capable of reaching mainstream superstardom. The official Headies description says eligible material can include two singles, an EP or an album.
The 2026 nominees are:
Fido
FOLA
Llona
Mavo
Shoday
This is an especially interesting lineup because FOLA and Mavo are also among the most nominated artistes of the entire ceremony.
Whoever wins could leave Toronto with one of the biggest career-defining moments of the year.
Song of the Year
The Song of the Year category features some of the biggest records competing at the 18th Headies.
"Arike" — Kunmie
"Hey Jago" — Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago
"Hot Body" — Ayra Starr
"Joy Is Coming" — Fido
"MMS" — Asake & Wizkid
"With You" — Davido & Omah Lay
The official Headies describes Song of the Year as the category recognising the song that achieved the greatest cultural impact during the eligibility period.
That makes this category particularly interesting because commercial success is not necessarily the only thing being considered.
Afrobeats Single of the Year
The Afrobeats Single of the Year nominees are:
"Fun" — Rema
"Jogodo" — Asake & Wizkid
"Laho" — Shallipopi
"With You" — Davido & Omah Lay
"You" — FOLA
"Bundle by Bundle" — Burna Boy
"With You" is one of the strongest contenders in the overall nominations because it appears in several major categories.
The song is also nominated for Song of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Collaboration, Music Video of the Year and Headies Viewers' Choice. Channels Television highlighted the song's multiple nominations as one of the major stories from this year's list.
Album of the Year
The Album of the Year nominees are:
Catharsis — FOLA
Clarity of Mind — Omah Lay
G.O.A.T — Erigga
Morayo — Wizkid
The Machine Is Coming — Odumodublvck
This One Is Personal — Tiwa Savage
No Sign of Weakness — Burna Boy
This could easily become one of the toughest races of the night.
The category brings together Afrobeats, R&B, rap and alternative sounds, giving the award a genuinely diverse field.
FOLA's presence is particularly notable because Catharsis helped drive his overall nomination haul.
At the other end of the experience scale, Wizkid and Burna Boy enter the race with years of experience at the highest level.
Afrobeats Album of the Year
The nominees are:
5ive — Davido
Captain — BNXN
Clarity of Mind — Omah Lay
Fuji — Adekunle Gold
Morayo — Wizkid
No Sign of Weakness — Burna Boy
The Headies describes this as a voting category for the best Afrobeats album or EP that meets its requirements for excellence in areas such as songwriting, production, rendition and impact.
Best Male Artiste
The nominees are:
Adekunle Gold
Asake
FOLA
Mavo
Rema
Wizkid
Burna Boy
This category perfectly captures the changing face of Nigerian music.
FOLA and Mavo are competing directly with established superstars such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema and Asake.
It is one of the clearest examples of the new generation challenging the old guard.
Best Female Artiste
The nominees are:
Ayra Starr
Qing Madi
Sewa
Tems
Teni
Tiwa Savage
Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage are the most nominated female artistes overall, with five nominations each.
However, the Best Female Artiste category also features Tems, Teni, Sewa and Qing Madi, making the race difficult to call.
Digital Artiste of the Year
The nominees are:
Asake
Ayra Starr
BNXN
Chella
FOLA
Mavo
Seyi Vibez
Wizkid
Digital Artiste of the Year is a voting category, according to the official Headies description.
The award recognises outstanding achievement and digital impact during the eligibility period.
Best R&B Album
The nominees are:
Before We Became Strangers — Kunmie
Catharsis — FOLA
I Am the Blueprint — Qing Madi
Love Is a Kingdom — Tems
Reflection Station — Tay Iwar
This One Is Personal — Tiwa Savage
Best Recording of the Year
The nominees are:
"Arike" — Kunmie
"How Do You?" — Amaeya
"Baby (Is It a Crime)" — Rema
"Coping Mechanism" — Omah Lay ft. Elmah
"With You" — Davido ft. Omah Lay
"You" — FOLA
The Headies describes this category as recognising the most outstanding recorded song during the year under review, with emphasis on recording quality and musical execution.
Best Collaboration
The nominees are:
"Body (Danz)" — CKay & Mavo
"Escaladizzy" — Mavo & Wave$tar
"Hey Jago" — Poco Lee, Shoday & Rahman Jago
"Lost" — FOLA & Kizz Daniel
"Pity This Boy" — Odumodublvck & Victony
"With You" — Davido & Omah Lay
"See What We've Done" — Mr Eazi & King Promise
"Finally" — Chief Priest & Spyki
The category shows how important collaborations have become within the modern African music industry.
Davido and Omah Lay's "With You" stand out again because of the song's presence across several major categories.
Headies Viewers' Choice
The Headies Viewers' Choice is one of the categories where fans have a direct influence on the result.
The nominees are:
"Hot Body" — Ayra Starr
"Escaladizzy" — Mavo ft. Wave$tar
"With You" — Davido ft. Omah Lay
"Baby (Is It a Crime)" — Rema
"You" — FOLA
"Jogodo" — Wizkid with Asake
"Arike" — Kunmie
The official Headies website describes this as a fan-voted award based on public support and digital engagement.
Best Street-Hop Artiste
The nominees are:
Famous Pluto
Kashcoming
Poco Lee
Seyi Vibez
Shallipopi
Tuff King
Rybeena
The category continues to demonstrate the influence of street culture on Nigeria's mainstream music industry.
Best Rap Album
The nominees are:
G.O.A.T — Erigga
No Excuses — Blaqbonez
King — Jeriq
GE3 (The Beginning) — A-Q
The Machine Is Coming — Odumodublvck
Black Sheepizen — Tuff King
Producer of the Year
The nominees are:
Magicsticks
P.Priime
Ragee
Sarz
Tempoe
Best Performer (Live)
The nominees are:
Adekunle Gold
Asake
Ayra Starr
Johnny Drille
Ruger
The Headies says this award recognises the artiste with the most outstanding live performance in front of an audience, provided that the performance was officially released in video format.
Rookie of the Year
The nominees are:
Amma
Danpapa GTA
FirstKlaz
Kidd Carder
NO11
Priesst
OG Abbah
The Rookie of the Year category is different from Next Rated.
According to The Headies, it recognises an outstanding new artiste who achieved a breakthrough during the eligibility period and had not released a commercially distributed full-length album before the eligibility period.
Best Rap Single
The nominees are:
"2:02PM in London" — Odumodublvck
"ACL" — Blaqbonez
"Man2Man" — Dremo
"Moshood" — PDSTRN
"Nkemakonam" — Tuff King
"Wuse Tu" — Zaylevelten & Mavo
"John Wick" — Zhus Jdo
Best Alternative Album
The nominees are:
Afrika Magik — Showdemcamp
Detox — Sewa
Duplicity — BOJ
Healers Chapel — Wizard Chan
Olorin Pack — Scottyolorin
Then 1t Got Crazy — Zaylevelten
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
The nominees are:
"6:35" — Layefa
"How Do You?" — Amaeya
"Lagos Lovin" — Sewa
"Scumbag" — Qing Madi
"Skin to Skin" — Liya
"You4Me" — Tiwa Savage
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
The nominees are:
"I'm Not Done" — Adekunle Gold
"Orente" — Flavour
"Winter & Summer" — Magixx
"Patience" — Odeal
"Love Egbugomo" — Syemca
"Bad Belle" — Tay Iwar
Best R&B Single
The nominees are:
"6:35" — Layefa
"How Do You?" — Amaeya
"I Love You" — Amma
"What You Need" — Tems
"Winter & Summer" — Magixx
"You4Me" — Tiwa Savage
Best Inspirational Single
The nominees are:
"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
Songwriter of the Year
The nominees are:
"Many People" — Adekunle Gold
"Cough Syrup" — Victony with BNXN
"Time Traveller" — Wizard Chan
"Who Does That?" — FOLA
"Arike" — Kunmie
"How Do You?" — Amaeya
Music Video of the Year
The nominees include:
"10 Kilo" — Davido, directed by Director Pink
"With You" — Davido & Omah Lay, directed by Dammy Twitch
"Afroculture" — Flavour ft. Baaba Maal, directed by TG Omori
"Kai!" — Olamide & Wizkid, directed by Jyde Ajala
"Bundle by Bundle" — Burna Boy, directed by DK
Lyricist on the Roll
The nominees are:
"ACL" — Blaqbonez
"Man2Man" — Dremo
"If You Like Gym" — Modenine with Odumodublvck
"Moshood" — PDSTRN
"Man2Man Remix" — Ycee with Dremo
The Headies identifies Lyricist on the Roll as a non-voting category focused on lyrical depth.
African and International Categories
The 18th Headies is taking an even broader approach to African music.
The awards feature dedicated categories for West, East, North and Central African artistes, alongside a category for African diaspora artistes in Canada and an International Artiste of the Year award.
Best West African Artiste
Black Sherif
Himra
KiDi
King Promise
Moliy
Wally B. Seck
Stonebwoy
Best East African Artiste
Abigail Chams
Bien
Bruce Melodie
Harmonize
Joshua Baraka
Tanzania's The Citizen also reported the nominations of Harmonize and Abigail Chams in the East African category, alongside artists from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Best North African Artiste
Balti
Dystinct
Marwan Moussa
Soolking
Tul8te
Best Central African Artiste
Fally Ipupa
Ferré Gola
Héritier Watanabe
Hiro
Innoss'B
Locko
Best African Diaspora-Canadian Artiste
Debby Friday
Tôme
Bolu Ajibade
Nonso Amadi
Rooky Kamiz
Tobi
International Artiste of the Year
Ciara
Dave
Gunna
Jazmine Sullivan
Shenseea
Tiakola
The Headies describes International Artiste of the Year as a voting category for a non-African artiste or group that made a significant contribution to the global growth of Afrobeats.
Special Recognition and Hall of Fame
The 18th Headies will not only celebrate competitive award winners.
Congolese music legend Awilo Longomba will be inducted into the Headies Hall of Fame.
Nigerian entertainment executive Cecil Hammond will also receive a Special Recognition Award for his contribution to African entertainment.
TheCable Lifestyle confirmed both honours in its report on the 2026 nominations.
What the 2026 Headies Nominations Tell Us
The New Generation Is Coming Strong
The most obvious trend is the rise of younger artistes.
FOLA and Mavo are the biggest examples.
Both are competing in Next Rated while also appearing in major categories alongside established stars.
That is a significant change from the traditional pattern where emerging artistes were largely confined to newcomer categories.
Collaborations Remain a Major Part of Afrobeats
Davido and Omah Lay's "With You" is arguably the clearest example.
The song is nominated across several major categories, showing how collaborations continue to create some of the biggest records in Nigerian music.
Albums Still Matter
The modern music industry is heavily driven by singles, streaming numbers and viral moments.
However, the 2026 Headies nominations show that albums still matter.
Catharsis, Clarity of Mind, Morayo, 5ive and No Sign of Weakness are all competing for major album awards.
Afrobeats Is Not the Only Story
Afrobeats remains at the centre of Nigerian music, but this year's nominations also give room to R&B, rap, alternative music, street-hop and inspirational music.
That reflects the increasingly diverse nature of the country's music industry.
The Headies Is Becoming More Continental
The "Africa to the World" theme is reflected in the structure of the awards.
The 18th Headies recognises artistes from different African regions and the African diaspora while also introducing international competition.
The official Headies website describes the Toronto edition as a new frontier for the awards and links the move to the global rise of African music.
What Is the 2026 Headies Eligibility Period?
The eligibility period covers music released between August 1, 2024 and April 30, 2026.
According to the official Headies Call for Entry page, eligible submissions included singles, albums, EPs and official music videos released and distributed during that period.
This explains why the 2026 nominations bring together music released across almost two years.
When Is the 18th Headies?
The 18th Headies will take place in Toronto, Canada.
However, there is currently a date discrepancy across the official Headies pages.
The official Call for Entry page states that the awards ceremony will be held on October 25, 2026.
However, the official Headies Events page lists the 18th Headies Awards Ceremony for October 23, 2026 at 9:00 PM, with the red carpet scheduled earlier that evening.
The official Headies homepage also currently displays October 23 for the awards ceremony.
Because of this discrepancy, fans should check the official Headies website and social media channels for the final confirmed ceremony date before making travel plans.
Headies Week in Toronto
The 18th Headies will be more than just an awards ceremony.
The official Headies website lists additional activities around the event, including the Headies Trade & Investment Summit and Headies Creative Summit, both scheduled for October 22 in Toronto.
The official schedule also lists nominees' interviews and a red carpet event on October 23.
This gives the Toronto edition a wider purpose beyond simply handing out awards.
It also reinforces the Headies' ambition to connect African music, entertainment, business and the global diaspora.
A Brief History of The Headies
The Headies began in 2006 as the Hip Hop World Awards.
Over the years, the awards have grown into one of Africa's most recognised music award platforms.
The ceremony has also expanded beyond Nigeria.
The official Headies website highlights the awards' journey from Lagos to Atlanta and now Toronto, describing the move as part of the global journey of African music.
The Next Rated category has also become one of the awards' most recognisable honours, helping shine a spotlight on artists considered capable of becoming major stars.
What Can Fans Expect at the 18th Headies?
The Toronto edition is expected to bring together major Nigerian and African artistes, industry figures and international guests.
Fans can expect live performances, red-carpet appearances, award presentations and plenty of conversations around the winners and losers.
The wider Headies Week programme should also bring additional attention to the business and creative sides of African entertainment.
But perhaps the biggest attraction will be the competition itself.
Will FOLA turn his 10 nominations into multiple wins?
Can Omah Lay's "With You" dominate the major song categories?
Will Mavo's breakthrough continue with a major award?
And can one of the established superstars stop the new generation from taking over?
Final Verdict
The 18th Headies nominations have created a fascinating battle between African music's established giants and its rapidly rising new generation.
FOLA is undoubtedly the biggest headline after receiving 10 nominations.
But Omah Lay, Mavo, Wizkid, Davido, Asake, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage all have strong cases to make when the winners are eventually announced.
The bigger story, however, may be what these nominations say about the direction of Nigerian music.
The new generation is no longer waiting patiently for its turn.
Artists such as FOLA and Mavo are already competing directly with the biggest names in the industry.
And with The Headies taking its "Africa to the World" message to Toronto, the 18th edition could become another major moment in the international story of African music.
Now it's your turn.
If you could choose the winners right now, who would you pick for Album of the Year?
Who deserves Song of the Year?
And who should win Next Rated?
Share your predictions in the comments and let us know which artist you think will leave Toronto with the most awards.
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