Since its inception in 2006, the Headies has played a prominent role in the documentation of the strides recorded in the Nigerian music industry through its award which has now become the biggest prize in Nigerian music.
The Headies Academy has released the nomination list for 2023. Here is the full list:
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
- Odumodu Blvck
- Bayyani
- Guchi
- Eltee
- Khaid
BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR
- “ALONE” – BURNA BOY
- “SOWETO” – VICTONY & TEMPOE
- “I’M A MESS” – OMAH LAY
- “KU LO SA” – OXLADE
- “STAND STRONG” – DAVIDO FT. SUNDAY SERVICE CHOIR
- “NO WOMAN, NO CRY” – TEMS
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
- MAGICSTICKS – “SUNGBA REMIX” (ASAKE)
- PHEELZ – “ELECTRICTY” (PHEELZ FT DAVIDO)
- ANDRE VIBEZ & LONDON – “CALM DOWN” (REMA)
- TEMPOE – “SOWETO” (VICTONY & TEMPOE)
- KEL-P – “KPE PASO” (WANDE COAL & OLAMIDE)
- REXXIE – “ABRACADABRA” (REXXIE, NAIRA MARLEY, SKIIBII & WIZKID)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- SIMI KOSOKO, GODSFAVOUR CHIDOZIE, KOSOKO ADEKUNLE, MARCEL AKUNWATA – “LOYAL” (SIMI)
- STANLEY DIDIA, ADEBAJO ADEBANJO – “I’M A MESS” (OMAH LAY)
- TEMS, LUDWIG GORANSSON, ROBYN RIHANNA FENTY, RYAN COOGLER – “LIFT ME UP” (RIHANNA)
- DAMINI EBUNOLUWA OGULU, AUSTIN JNR IORNONGU IWAR, PEACE OREDOPE, LUDWIG GORANSSON – “ALONE” (BURNA BOY)
- DANIEL BENSON – “IN MY MIND” (BNXN)
- FUAYEFIKA MAXWELL – “EARTH SONG” (WIZARD CHAN)
BEST R&B SINGLE
- “FOR MY HAND” – BURNA BOY FT. ED SHEERAN
- “MMADU” – CKAY
- “JUST 4 U” – DAMI ONIRU
- “RED WINE” – PREYE
- “HARD TO FIND” – CHIKE – FT. FLAVOUR
- “LOYAL” – SIMI FT. FAVE
BEST RAP SINGLE
- “HUSTLE” – REMINISCE
- “BIG ENERGY” – LADIPOE
- “BACK IN UNI” – BLAQBONEZ
- “BANDO DIARIES” – PSYCHOYP
- “DECLAN RICE” – ODUMODUBLVCK
- “MY BRO” – JERIQ FT. PHYNO
BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG
- “EARTH SONG” – WIZARD CHAN
- “FINAL CHAMPION” – CRUEL SANTINO
- “THE TRAVELLER” – BASKETMOUTH FT THE CAVEMEN
- “IN A LOOP” – BOJ FT MOLIY & MELLISSA
- “GAME CHANGER” (DIKE) – FLAVOUR
- “TINKO TINKO” – OBONGJAYAR
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE)
- NINIOLA – “MEMORIES”
- SIMI – “LOYAL”
- WAJE – “IN BETWEEN“
- LIYA – “ADUA REMIX”
- PREYE – “RED WINE”
- DAMI ONIRU – “JUST 4 U”
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE(MALE)
- OXLADE – “KU LO SA”
- RIC HASSANI – “MY ONLY BABY”
- MAGIXX – “LOVE DON’T COST A DIME”
- CHIKE – “SPELL REMIX”
- PRAIZ – “RECKLESS”
- WANDE COAL – “KPE PASO”
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
- BLAQBONEZ & Perliks – “BACK IN UNI”
- TG OMORI – “PBUY” (ASAKE)
- DIRECTOR PINK – “SPELL REMIX” (CHIKE & OXLADE)
- TG OMORI – “BANDANA” (FIREBOY & ASAKE)
- DIRECTOR K – “COMMON PERSON” (BURNA BOY)
- DIRECTOR K – “CALM DOWN” (REMA
BEST COLLABORATION
- ASAKE FT. BURNA BOY – “SUNGBA REMIX”
- BNXN FT KIZZ DANIEL & SEYI VIBEZ – “GWAGWALADA”
- PHEELZ FT BNXN – “FINESSE”
- SPYRO FT. TIWA SAVAGE – “WHO’S YOUR GUY REMIX”
- PHEELZ FT DAVIDO – “ELECTRICITY”
- WANDE COAL FT. OLAMIDE – “KPE PASO”
BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE
- REXXIE FT. NAIRA MARLEY & SKIIBII – “ABRACADABRA”
- SEYI VIBEZ – “CHANCE (NA HAM)”
- ASAKE – “JOHA”
- ZLATAN FT. YOUNG JONN – “ASTALAVISTA”
- POCO LEE & HOTKID – “OTILO”
- MOHBAD – “PEACE”
AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR
- “LAST LAST” – BURNA BOY
- “RUSH” – AYRA STARR
- “BUGA” – KIZZ DANIEL & TEKNO
- “FINESSE” – PHEELZ FT BNXN
- “WHO’S YOUR GUY?” – SPYRO
- “ASIWAJU” – RUGER
HEADIES’ VIEWERS’ CHOICE
- RUGER – “ASIWAJU”
- VICTONY & TEMPOE – “SOWETO”
- FIREBOY DML & ASAKE – “BANDANA”
- AYRA STAR – “RUSH”
- ASAKE – “TERMINATOR”
- MAVINS – “OVERLOADING (OVERDOSE)”
- CRAYON – “IJO (LABA LABA)”
- OXLADE – “KU LO SA”
- KIZZ DANIEL & TEKNO – “BUGA”
- PHEELZ & DAVIDO – “ELECTRICITY”
BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- GYAKIE (GHANA)
- BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
- THE THERAPIST (LIBERIA)
- CAMIDOH (GHANA)
BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- ZUCHU
- DIAMOND PLATINUMZ
- RAYVANNY
- EDDY KENZO
- HEWAN GEBREWORLD
BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- MARWA LOUD – MOROCCO
- WEGZ – EGYPT
- EL GRANDE TOTO – MOROCCO
- SOOLKING – ALGERIA
BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- AKA (SOUTH AFRICA)
- NASTY C – SOUTH AFRICA
- COSTA TITCH – SOUTH AFRICA
- UNCLE WAFFLES – SOUTH AFRICA
- FOCALISTIC – SOUTH AFRICA
- DJ TARICO – MOZAMBIQUE
BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- FALLY IPUPA – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- GAZ MAWETE – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- MATIAS DAMASIO – ANGOLA
- EMMA’A – GABON
- LIBIANCA – CAMEROON
BEST R&B ALBUM
- HOME – JOHNNY DRILLE
- THE BROTHER’S KEEPER – CHIKE
- RECKLESS – PRAIZ
- WAJE 2.0 – WAJE
- MATTER OF TIME – DAMI ONIRU
- TO BE HONEST (TBH) – SIMI
BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
- HOROSCOPES – BASKETMOUTH
- GBAGADA EXPRESS – BOJ
- SOME NIGHTS I DREAM OF DOORS – OBONGJAYAR
- SUBARU BOYS: FINAL HEAVEN – CRUEL SANTINO
- HEART OF THE HEAVENLY UNDENIABLE – SOMADINA
- NATIVE WORLD – NATIVE SOUND SYSTEM
BEST RAP ALBUM
- FLY TALK ONLY – PAYPER CORLEONE
- PALMWINE MUSIC VOL 3 – SHOW DEM CAMP
- YOUNG PREACHER – BLAQBONEZ
- YPSZN3 – PSYCHOYP
- TESLIM: THE ENERGY STILL LIVES IN ME – VECTOR
- BILLION DOLLAR DREAM – JERIQ
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- LOVE, DAMINI – BURNA BOY
- MR MONEY WITH THE VIBE – ASAKE
- RAVE AND ROSES – REMA
- BOY ALONE – OMAH LAY
- OUTLAW – VICTONY
- TIMELESS – DAVIDO
SONG OF THE YEAR
- “CALM DOWN” – REMA
- “LAST LAST” – BURNA BOY
- “KU LO SA” – OXLADE
- “BUGA” – KIZZ DANIEL & TEKNO
- “FINESSE” – PHEELZ FT. BNXN
- “SUNGBA REMIX” – ASAKE FT. BURNA BOY
BEST FEMALE ARTISTE
- TEMS
- SIMI
- AYRA STARR
- TIWA SAVAGE
BEST MALE ARTISTE
- ASAKE
- REMA
- KIZZ DANIEL
- RUGER
- OMAH LAY
- BURNA BOY
NEXT RATED
- YOUNG JONN
- SEYI VIBEZ
- ASAKE
- VICTONY
- SPYRO
AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- REMA (NIGERIA)
- BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
- MARWA LOUD (MOROCCO)
- BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
- DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- DRAKE
- FUTURE
- SELENA GOMEZ
- DON TOLIVER
- ED SHEERAN
LYRICIST ON THE ROLL
- LADIPOE – “CLOWNS”
- VECTOR – “CLOWNS”
- PAYPER CORLEONE – “FLY TALK ONLY”
- ALPHA OJINI – “VIGILANTE BOP”
- A-Q – “FAMILY FIRST”
- TEC (SDC) – “LIVE LIFE”
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SINGLE
- “STAND STRONG” – DAVIDO FT SUNDAY SERVICE CHOIR
- “JIREH (MY PROVIDER)” – LIMOBLAZE, LECRAE & HAPPI MUSIC
- “THIS YEAR” – VICTOR THOMPSON & EHIS ‘D’ GREATEST
- “EZE EBUBE” – NEON ADEJO
- “TOBECHUKWU” – NATHANIEL BASSEY AND MERCY CHINWO
- “I GET BACKING” – VICTORIA ORENZE
DIGITAL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR
- BURNA BOY
- AYRA STARR
- REMA
- OMAH LAY
- KIZZ DANIEL
- ASAKE
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE RECOGNITION
- SEAN ‘LOVE’ COMBS
HALL OF FAME
- YOUSSOU N’DOUR
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
- SOUND SULTAN