AFRICA'S BIGGEST AND MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
AFRICA'S BIGGEST AND MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the rookie of the year who has had a successful year musically with the absence of an album in the year under review.
ZERRY DL
WINNER
TAVES
KAESTYLE
LLONA
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
A non-voting category for the best recording (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence; songwriting, production, rendition) by an artiste or group in the year under review.
TEMS – BURNING
WINNER
DIFFERENT PATTERN - SEYI VIBEZ
HIGHER - BURNA BOY
LAST HEARTBREAK SONG - AYRA STARR & GIVEON
BILLIONS - SARZ FEATURING LOJAY
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
A non-voting category for the writer of a song (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence, composition, arrangement, and rendition) in the year under review.
CHIMAMANDA PEARL CHUKWUMA - VISION
(QING MADI)
WINNER
SIMISOLA KOSOKO - STRANGER (SIMI)
MICHAEL AJUMA ATTAH - CAN'T BREATHE (LLONA)
EMOSEH KHAMOFU - FAMILY MEETING (BLOODY CIVILIAN)
FUAYEFIKA MAXWELL - STAGES OF LIFE (WIZARD CHAN)
BEST R&B SINGLE
A category for the best R&B single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
AYRA STARR - LAST HEARTBREAK SONG
FT. GIVEON
WINNER
QING MADI – VISION
JOHNNY DRILLE - FOR YOU
SIMI – STRANGER
TEMS – BURNING
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
An individual or collection of people responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.
LONDON – OZEBA
WINNER
SARZ – HAPPINESS
MAGICSTICKS – BASQUIAT
REMA/PRODUCER X/CUBEATZ/DEATZ/KLIMPERBOY – HEHEHE
DIBS - DIFFERENT PATTERN
BEST RAP SINGLE
A voting category for a single (released on-air and streaming platforms) recording of a rap song.
CAST FT. ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPI
WINNER
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR FT. BLOODY CIVILIAN & WALE – ODUMODUBLVCK
HALLELUJAH - LADIPOE, ROZZZ & MORRELO
CANADA - MAGNITO
IJE NWOKE - JERIQ
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
A non-voting category for the single female artiste with the most outstanding vocal performances on a single or album.
LIYA – I’M DONE
WINNER
AYRA STARR - LAST HEARTBREAK SONG
NINIOLA - LEVEL
SIMI – STRANGER
TOMORROW - YEMI ALADE
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (MALE)
A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performances on a single or album.
LOJAY – BILLIONS
WINNER
OMAH LAY - MOVING
ANENDLESSOCEAN – GRATITUDE
JOHNNY DRILLE - FOR YOU
TIMI DAKOLO - KE NA KE SO
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed, and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.
EGWU - CHIKE & MOHBAD (DIRECTOR PINK)
WINNER
CHARM - REMA (REMA X PERLIKS X FOLARIN OLUDARE)
METAVERSE - OLAMIDE (JYDE AJALA)
LIKE ICE SPICE - BLAQBONEZ (PERLIKS & EMEKA SHINE SHINE)
OJAPIANO - KCEE (MATTMAX)
SHOWA - KIZZ DANIEL (TG OMORI)
NA MONEY – DAVIDO FT. CAVEMEN, ANGELIQUE KIDJO (DAMMY TWITCH)
BEST COLLABORATION
A voting category for the best R&B, POP, Hip-Hop, or Afrobeats collaborative track (including cameos).
EGWU - CHIKE AND MOHBAD
WINNER
EMOTIONS - TIWA SAVAGE FEAT. ASA
BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR - ODUMODUBLVCK, BLOODY CIVILIAN, AND WALE
CAST - SHALLIPOPI FT ODUMODUBLVCK
OLE - QING MADI AND BNXN
TWE TWE REMIX – KIZZ DANIEL AND DAVIDO
IDK – WIZKID FT. ZLATAN
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street. A voting category for the best R&B, POP, Hip-Hop, or Afrobeats collaborative track (including cameos).
MOHBAD – ASK ABOUT ME
WINNER
SEYI VIBEZ – DIFFERENT PATTERNS
AYO MAFF – DEALER (FT. FIREBOY DML)
SHALLIPOPI – CAST (FT. ODUMODUBLVCK)
ZHUS JDO – JOHNBULL
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the best Afrobeats single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
BIG BALLER – FLAVOR
WINNER
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
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
A non-voting category for the rapper with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album in the year under review. A voting category for the best Afrobeats single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).
HALLELUJAH – LADIPOE
WINNER
MOGADISHU - A-Q
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER - M.I ABAGA
CHOCOLATE CITY CYPHER – BLAQBONEZ
EFELEME - ALPHA OJINI
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE
A voting award category for the best inspirational single in the year under review (by an individual or group).
YOU DO THIS ONE - MERCY CHINWO
WINNER
GRATITUDE – ANENDLESSOCEAN
WORTHY OF MY PRAISE - DUNSIN OYEKAN FT. LAWRENCE OYOR
GOOD GOD 2 - LIMOBLAZE FT. NAOMI RAINE
PARTICULARLY - GAISE BABA FT. TOPE ALABI
HEADIES’ VIEWERS’ CHOICE
A voting category to award the fans’ favorite artiste with the most digital traction (downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.
EGWU - CHIKE & MOHBAD
WINNER
BIG BIG THINGS FT. KIZZ DANIEL AND SEYI VIBEZ - YOUNG JONN
OGECHI REMIX FT. DAVIDO - HYCE, BOYPEE, AND BROWN JOEL
SHOWA - KIZZ DANIEL
DIFFERENT PATTERN - SEYI VIBEZ
OZEBA – REMA
LOVE ME JEJE – TEMS
CAST FT. ODUMODUBLVCK – SHALLIPOPI
DEALER FT. FIREBOY DML - AYO MAFF
BIG BALLER - FLAVOUR
BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Western African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
HIMRA (IVORY COAST)
WINNER
BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
KING PROMISE (GHANA)
JOSEY (IVORY COAST)
TOOFAN (TOGO)
BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Eastern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
JUMA JUX (TANZANIA)
WINNER
BIEN (KENYA)
DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)
BRUCE MELODIE (RWANDA)
AZAWI (UGANDA)
BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Northern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
SOOLKING (ALGERIA)
WINNER
MOHAMED RAMADAN (EGYPT)
ELGRANDE TOTO (MOROCCO)
BALTI (TUNISIA)
ABU (EYGPT)
BEST SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Southern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
TITOM (SOUTH AFRICA)
WINNER
YUPPE (SOUTH AFRICA)
TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA)
KELLY KAY (MALAWI)
PLUTONIO (MOZAMBIQUE)
ZEE NXUMALO (SOUTH AFRICA)
BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual African artist or group (of Central African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.
INNOSS'B (DRC)
WINNER
GAZ MAWETE (DRC)
EMMA’A (GABON)
EBOLOKO (GABON)
SINGUILA. (CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC)
KOCEE (CAMEROUN)
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for a non-African artist or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact on Afrobeats.
TRAVIS SCOTT - ACTIVE (ASAKE)
WINNER
WALE - BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR (ODUMODUBLVCK)
SKEPTA - TONY MONTANA (FT. PORTABLE)
CHRIS BROWN - HMMM (FT. DAVIDO)
CHLOE BAILEY - VISION REMIX (QING MADI)
BEST RAP ALBUM
A non-voting category for the best album by a rap artist or group in the year under review.
FAMILY TIME – ERIGGA
WINNER
SIDEH KAI – ILLBLISS
EZIOKWU – ODUMODUBLVCK
ALAYE TOH SE GOGO VOL. 1 – REMINISCE
SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME – MODENINE
SOUNDTRACK OF THE YEAR
This is a non-voting category for a song written and composed originally for use in a motion picture or series.
TRIBE CALLED JUDAH SOUNDTRACK - TCJ
& ABBEY WONDER (A TRIBE CALLED JUDAH)
WINNER
ELEDUMARE - TELEDALESE (ANIKULAPO: RISE OF THE SPECTRE)
LOSE TO GAIN - KALINE (BREATH OF LIFE)
KILL BORO - NATIVE FILMWORKS & WIZARD CHAN (KILL BORO)
ORISA - BERIOLA (ORISA)
EMOTIONS - TIWA SAVAGE & ASA (WATER AND GARRI)
NEXT RATED
This category is a voting category for the most promising act (with a single, EP or Album) in the year under review.
ODUMODUBLVCK
WINNER
QING MADI
SHALLIPOPI
AYO MAFF
NASBOI
AFROBEATS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the best Afrobeats album of the year under review (by single individual or group).
HEIS – REMA
WINNER
STUBBORN – VICTONY
WORK OF ART – ASAKE
THE YEAR I TURNED 21 - AYRA STARR
JIGGY FOREVER - YOUNG JONN
BEST PERFORMER (LIVE)
A non-voting category for the artist with the most outstanding live performance in front of an audience by singing or playing a musical instrument. The live performance must have been recorded and officially released in video format – streaming, TV and physical media.
BURNA BOY - AFRICAN GIANT LIVE FROM LONDON
WINNER
REMA - RAVAGE UPRISING: REMA LIVE FROM THE O2, LONDON
OMAH LAY - LIVE AT L'OLYMPIA PARIS
FLAVOUR – CELEBRATING YOU 2023
WIZARD CHAN - LIVE IN CONCERT PORT HARCOURT
FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE - NUITS DE FOURVIÈRE (ARTE CONCERT)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry.
KINGSLEY CHINWEIKE OKONKWO a.k.a KCEE
WINNER
SONG OF THE YEAR
A voting category for the most popular song in the year under review.
LONELY AT THE TOP – ASAKE
WINNER
SHOWA - KIZZ DANIEL
COMMAS - AYRA STARR
EGWU - CHIKE AND MOHBAD
OZEBA – REMA
BIG BALLER - FLAVOUR
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual Nigerian artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact digitally in the year under review.
DAVIDO
WINNER
AYRA STARR
REMA
SHALLIPOPI
TEMS
KIZZ DANIEL
ASAKE
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
A voting award category for an individual Nigerian artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement and impact digitally in the year under review.
HEIS – REMA
WINNER
BORN IN THE WILD – TEMS
THE YEAR I TURNED 21 - AYRA STARR
STUBBORN – VICTONY
WORK OF ART - ASAKE
ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
This category is a voting category for the most critically and commercially adjudged artiste in the year under review.
DAVIDO
WINNER
AYRA STARR
REMA
TEMS
BURNA BOY