Nigeria’s most prestigious music award show, The Headies, has announced its highly anticipated 17th edition of the awards, marking a return after a year’s hiatus.

The list released on Wednesday features an array of both local and international artists who have been recognised for their contribution to the music scene in the past year.

According to the organisers, this edition will take place on April 5, 2025

They also said that the awards will be held in Lagos, Nigeria after criticisms from several quarters over it being held in the United States.

Hip Hop artiste  Tochukwu Ojogwu, aka Odumodu Blvck, dominated the nominations on the list with a total of five.

A surprise entry was the late Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, who bagged three nominations.

This is almost two years after his tragic death in September 2023.

Ayra Starr will be hoping to add to her 2022 accolade with her three nods this year while one of the break-out stars of last year  Crown Uzama, aka Shallipopi, also received three nominations.

Taves, Zerrydl, Kaestyle, and Llona were  also shortlisted in the Rookie of the Year category

Though the event is an annual one in Nigeria, it wasn’t held in 2024 as the organisers postponed it to February 2025.

See the 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)