Africa plus magazine

The 17th edition of the Headies Awards is set to take place today, April 27, 2025, at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. This marks a significant homecoming for Nigeria’s premier music awards after two consecutive editions in Atlanta, USA. The event, themed “Back to Base,” celebrates the achievements of African artists between April 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024, and is part of a broader festival that includes industry events like the Headies Stakeholder Brunch and the Afrobeats Conference .

Among the most anticipated categories are Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. In the Artist of the Year category, the nominees are Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake, Rema, Tems and Burna Boy. Will 2025 Grammy awards winner Tems be able to beat Africa’s biggest star right now Burna Boy?

The Song of the Year contenders feature hits like “Showa” by Kizz Daniel, “Commas” by Ayra Starr, “Egwu” by Chike and Mohbad, “Lonely at the Top” by Asake, “OZeba” by Rema, and “Big Baller” by Flavour . For Album of the Year, the competition includes “Born in the Wild” by Tems, “HEIS” by Rema, “The Year I Turned 21” by Ayra Starr, “Stubborn” by Victony, and “Work of Art” by Asake .

The decision to return the Headies to Nigeria was influenced by widespread calls from fans and industry stakeholders. Founder Ayo Animashaun explained that while hosting the awards in the U.S. helped sustain its global relevance during the Afrobeats boom, the overwhelming desire from Nigerians to have the event back home was pivotal . He emphasized the importance of listening to the audience, stating, “When you are doing something for the people and it’s a sacrifice and not for yourself, you have to listen to the people. They said they wanted the awards back home” . With this return, the Headies aims to reinforce its commitment to celebrating African music within its cultural roots.