Nigeria’s most prestigious music award show, The Headies, has officially announced the highly anticipated 17th edition, set to return after a one-year hiatus.
The list of nominees, released on Wednesday, highlights both local and international artists who have made significant contributions to the music scene over the past year. This year’s awards will take place on April 5, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, after previous editions were held in the United States, sparking criticism from some quarters.
Leading the nominations is hip-hop artist Tochukwu Ojogwu, better known as Odumodu Blvck, with an impressive five nominations. A surprise entry this year is the late Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, who posthumously received three nominations nearly two years after his tragic death in September 2023.
Ayra Starr, who took home accolades in 2022, returns this year with three nominations, while breakout star Shallipopi (Crown Uzama) also secured three nods. Other notable names in the Rookie of the Year category include Taves, Zerrydl, Kaestyle, and Llona.
The 2024 edition marks a return after the event was postponed from 2024 to February 2025. The full list of nominations is as follows:
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- Tems – Burning
- Seyi Vibez – Different Pattern
- Burna Boy – Higher
- Ayra Starr & Giveon – Last Heartbreak Song
- Sarz ft. Lojay – Billions
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
- Sarz – Happiness
- London – Ozeba
- Magicsticks – Basquiat
- Rema/Producer X/ Cubeatz/ Deatz/Klimperboy – Hehehe
- Dibs – Different Pattern
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- 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
- Qing Madi – Vision
- Johnny Drille – For You
- Simi – Stranger
- Tems – Burning
- Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song ft. Giveon
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
- Llona
- Kaestyle
- Taves
- Zerrydl
BEST RAP SINGLE
- Cast – Odumodu Blvck ft. Shallipopi
- Blood on the Dance Floor – Odumodu Blvck ft. Bloody Civilian & Wale
- Hallelujah – Ladipoe, Rozzz & Morrelo
- Canada – Magnito
- Ije Nwoke – Jeriq
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
- Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song
- Niniola – Level
- Simi – Stranger
- Liya – I’m Done
- Tomorrow – Yemi Alade
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Charm (Rema X Perliks X Folarin Oludare)
- Metaverse (Jyde Ajala)
- Like Ice Spice (Perliks & Emeka Shine Shine)
- Ojapiano (Mattmax)
- Egwu (Director Pink)
- Showa (TG Omori)
- Na Money (Dammy Twitch)
BEST COLLABORATION
- Emotions – Tiwa Savage ft. Asa
- Blood on the Dance Floor – Odumodu Blvck, Bloody Civilian, and Wale
- Cast – Shallipopi ft. Odumodu Blvck
- Egwu – Chike & Mohbad
- Ole – Qing Madi & BNXN
- Twe Twe Remix – Kizz Daniel & Davido
- IDK – Wizkid ft. Zlatan
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
- Seyi Vibez – Different Patterns
- Ayo Maff – Dealer (ft. Fireboy DML)
- Shallipopi – Cast (ft. Odumodu Blvck)
- Zhus Jdo – Johnbull
- Mohbad – Ask About Me
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- Big Big Things – Young Jonn ft. Kizz Daniel & 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
- Mogadishu – A-Q
- Chocolate City Cypher – M.I Abaga
- Chocolate City Cypher – Blaqbonez
- Hallelujah – Ladipoe
- Efeleme – Alpha Ojini
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE
- 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
VIEWERS CHOICE AWARDS
- Big Big Things – Young Jonn ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez
- Ogechi Remix – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel ft. Davido
- Egwu – Chike & Mohbad
- Ozeba – Rema
- Different Pattern – Seyi Vibez
- Showa – Kizz Daniel
- Love Me Jeje – Tems
- Cast – Shallipopi ft. Odumodu Blvck
- Dealer – Flavor ft. Fireboy
- Big Baller – Flavor
BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- Black Sherif (Ghana)
- King Promise (Ghana)
- Himra (Ivory Coast)
- Josey (Ivory Coast)
- Toofan (Togo)
BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- Bien (Kenya)
- Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
- Juma Jux (Tanzania)
- Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
- Azawi (Uganda)
BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
- ElGrande Toto (Morocco)
- Soolking (Algeria)
- Balti (Tunisia)
- Abu (Egypt)
BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- Titom (South Africa)
- Yuppe (South Africa)
- Tyla (South Africa)
- Kelly Kay (Malawi)
- Plutonio (Mozambique)
- Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)
