17th Headies Nominations: See Full List Here

Nigeria’s biggest music award show, The Headies, has finally dropped the full nomination list for its 17th edition, and the competition is stiff.

The list, released on Wednesday, shines the spotlight on both homegrown and international acts who have made waves in the past year.

Topping the list is Tochukwu Ojogwu, aka Odumodublvck, who bagged five nominations—making him the most nominated artiste this year. Right behind him are Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, aka Ayra Starr, and Crown Uzama, popularly called Shallipopi, each securing three nominations.

The Declan Rice crooner isn’t just leading the pack; he’s also set for a major showdown in the Best Collaboration category, where he’s in the ring with Chike, Wizkid, Zlatan, Asa, and Tiwa Savage.

In a bittersweet moment, the late Ilerioluwa Aloba, famously known as Mohbad, also clinched three nominations despite his tragic passing on September 12, 2023. His presence on the list has sparked fresh conversations about his impact on the music industry even after his death.

The full nominations list, which was shared on The Headies’ official X (formerly Twitter) handle, includes categories such as Producer of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Best R&B Single, Rookie of the Year, Best Rap Single, Best Vocal Performance (Female), Music Video of the Year, and Best Collaboration.

Full nominations list below:

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR

TEMS – BURNING

SEYI VIBEZ – DIFFERENT PATTERN

BURNA BOY – HIGHER

AYRA STARR & GIVEON – LAST HEARTBREAK SONG

SARZ FEATURING 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 – ODUMODUBLVCK FEAT SHALLIPOPI

BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR – ODUMODUBLVCK FEAT 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 FEAT. ASA

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

CAST – SHALLIPOPI FT ODUMODUBLVCK

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. ODUMODUBLVCK)

ZHUS JDO – JOHNBULL

MOHBAD – ASK ABOUT ME

AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR

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

MOGADISHU – A-Q

CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – M.I ABAGA

CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – BLAQBONEZ

HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE

EFELEME – ALPHA OJINI

BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE ARE

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 AND 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. ODUMODUBLVCK
DEALER – FLAVOUR FT. FIREBOY
BIG BALLER – FLAVOUR

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 (EYGPT)

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)