The Headies (originally the Hip Hop World Awards) is Nigeria's premier music awards ceremony, established in 2006 by Hip Hop World Magazine to recognize excellence in Nigerian and African contemporary music. The 17th edition took place on April 27, 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, marking the ceremony's return to Nigeria after two consecutive editions in Atlanta. The 18th edition is scheduled for October 25, 2026, in Toronto, Canada, marking the first time the ceremony will be held outside the United States and Nigeria.
The 17th Headies ceremony was livestreamed on YouTube and broadcast on HipTV. The full show, including performances, acceptance speeches, and award presentations, is available on The Headies Awards official YouTube channel. The highlight reel below covers the ceremony's most talked-about moments, including Davido presenting the Next Rated award to Odumodublvck and the tribute to the late MohBad.
Past Winners by Category and Year
The Headies has been held annually since 2006, with the exception of 2024 (no ceremony was held that year). Below is a reference table of winners from the two most recent completed ceremonies, covering the major categories. The 18th edition (October 2026) has not yet taken place as of August 2026.
| Category | 2025 (17th Headies) | 2023 (16th Headies) |
|---|---|---|
| Artiste of the Year | Davido | Burna Boy |
| Album of the Year | Rema (Heis) | Asake (Mr. Money With The Vibe) |
| Song of the Year | Asake (Lonely at the Top) | Burna Boy (Last Last) |
| Next Rated | Odumodublvck | Asake |
| Digital Artiste of the Year | Davido | Rema |
| Best Recording of the Year | Tems (Burning) | (not awarded separately) |
| Afrobeats Single of the Year | Flavour (Big Baller) | Burna Boy (Last Last) |
| Best R&B Single | (not announced, technical issues) | Burna Boy ft. Ed Sheeran (For My Hand) |
| Best Rap Single | Odumodublvck (Blood on the Dance Floor) | Odumodublvck (Declan Rice) |
| Best Collaboration | Chike ft. MohBad (Egwu) | Spyro ft. Tiwa Savage (Who Is Your Guy) |
| Viewer's Choice | Chike ft. MohBad (Egwu) | (not awarded separately) |
| Producer of the Year | London (Ozeba) | (not awarded separately) |
| Music Video of the Year | Director Pink (Egwu) | Director K (Calm Down remix) |
| Rookie of the Year | Zerry DL | Odumodublvck |
| Best Street-Hop Artiste | MohBad (Ask About Me, posthumous) | Seyi Vibez |
The 2025 ceremony experienced technical difficulties that caused it to end abruptly before winners were announced in several categories, including Best R&B Single. The 2023 ceremony was held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta and was hosted by Osas Ighodaro and Terrence J. Rema and Burna Boy each won three awards at the 16th Headies, while Asake made history as the only artist to win both Next Rated and Album of the Year in the same night.
The 16th Headies was livestreamed on YouTube and HipTV. The full broadcast is available online, including performances from Asake, Wande Coal, Kcee, Black Sherif, and Odumodublvck, plus Rema's acceptance speech for Best Male Artiste.
How the Headies Work
The Headies follow a structured selection process:
- Eligibility: Only music released and distributed on digital streaming platforms and physical media within the eligibility period qualifies. The 17th edition covered releases from April 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024.
- Nominations: Nominees are selected based on commercial performance (streaming data, sales, radio airplay) and industry input. Nominees for the 17th edition were announced in February 2025.
- Voting: Winners are determined through a combination of industry professional assessment and public voting. The Viewer's Choice award is entirely fan-driven.
- Ceremony: The awards are held annually. The 17th edition was hosted by actress Nancy Isime and broadcast on HipTV and YouTube.
The ceremony has expanded its scope beyond Nigeria, adding categories for East, West, North, South, and Central African artists. The Next Rated category is widely considered the most anticipated award, recognizing the most promising emerging act. Past winners include Wizkid, Davido, and Asake, all of whom went on to become major international stars.
Real-World Example: The 17th Headies (2025)
The 17th Headies took place on April 27, 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, themed "Back to Base." The ceremony marked the return to Nigeria after editions in Atlanta in 2023 and 2024.
Davido won Artiste of the Year and Digital Artiste of the Year, cementing his status as one of Africa's biggest stars. He also presented the Next Rated award to Odumodublvck, describing it as "the most important" honor of the evening. Davido won Next Rated himself 12 years earlier.
Rema won Album of the Year and Afrobeats Album of the Year for "Heis," praised for its genre-blending innovation. Asake took home Song of the Year for "Lonely at the Top." Tems won Best Recording of the Year for "Burning."
Chike and the late MohBad won Viewer's Choice and Best Collaboration for "Egwu." MohBad also received a posthumous Best Street-Hop Artiste award for "Ask About Me." The tribute segment for MohBad, who died in 2023, was one of the most emotional moments of the night.
Other winners included Lojay (Best Vocal Performance Male), Liya (Best Vocal Performance Female), London (Producer of the Year for "Ozeba"), Qing Madi (Songwriter of the Year for "Vision"), Flavour (Afrobeats Single of the Year for "Big Baller"), and Zerry DL (Rookie of the Year).
The ceremony experienced technical difficulties that caused it to end abruptly before winners were announced in several categories, including Best R&B Single, Best Collaboration, and Best Rap Album.
The full ceremony was livestreamed on YouTube. The broadcast includes all performances and award presentations in their entirety, including Odumodublvck's extended acceptance speech (during which organizers briefly cut his microphone before restoring it after he refused to leave the stage) and the tribute to MohBad, whose wife and son accepted his posthumous award.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
The Headies is the most prestigious music awards ceremony in Nigeria and one of the most recognized across Africa. Winning or even receiving a nomination can significantly boost an artist's profile, streaming numbers, and booking fees.
The Next Rated category has historically predicted future superstars. Wizkid won it in 2011, Davido in 2012, and Asake in 2023. Odumodublvck's 2025 win continues this pattern. For independent artists, the Next Rated and Rookie of the Year categories offer the most accessible entry points.
The eligibility period is clearly defined, so timing your releases to fall within the window matters. Independent artists should ensure their music is distributed on all major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Audiomack, Boomplay) since digital availability is a requirement.
If you are an independent Nigerian or African artist, focus on building streaming numbers and radio airplay during the eligibility period. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your performance. Check the Headies website for eligibility windows and submission guidelines.
Related Resources
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that feeds into Headies nominations
- Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards strategy
- When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can help coordinate awards submissions
- Performance Rights Organizations - Nigerian PROs like COSON collect royalties for Headies-nominated songwriters
- AFRIMA - All Africa Music Awards, another major pan-African music awards ceremony
- AFRIMMA - African Muzik Magazine Awards, recognizing African artists in the diaspora
- MTV Africa Music Awards - MTV's pan-African music awards
- Soundcity MVP Awards - Another major Nigerian and African music awards ceremony
- BET Awards - US awards with an International Act: Africa category
- Grammy Awards - The global music awards that several Headies winners have been nominated for
- Music Awards Directory - Browse all music awards in our directory
- Official website: theheadies.com
