The countdown to the 68th Grammy Awards is officially on, and once again, Nigerian music is firmly in the global spotlight. When the ceremony holds on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena...

Burna Boy, Ayra Starr and Wizkid

The countdown to the 68th Grammy Awards is officially on, and once again, Nigerian music is firmly in the global spotlight.

When the ceremony holds on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, five Nigerian stars will be in the running for music’s biggest prizes, reinforcing the country’s growing influence on the world stage.

Burna Boy

Burna Boy leads the Nigerian pack with two nominations, extending his reputation as one of Africa’s most consistent Grammy contenders. His nominated works include Love in the Best African Music Performance category and No Sign of Weakness in the Best Global Music Album category. At this point, his presence at the Grammys no longer feels like novelty; it feels like tradition.

Davido

Davido returns to the Grammy conversation with a nomination for With You featuring Omah Lay. The nod comes on the back of a global run for the singer, whose international tours and collaborations continue to keep Afrobeats in rotation worldwide.

Ayra Starr

Ayra Starr earns another global moment with her nomination for Gimme Dat, featuring Wizkid. Still early in her career, she is already carving out a reputation as one of Nigeria’s most exciting crossover voices, and this recognition further confirms her growing global reach.

Wizkid

Wizkid appears on the nominee list through his feature on Gimme Dat, adding yet another Grammy-linked credit to a catalogue that already includes historic wins and nominations. His influence across Afrobeats and international pop remains undeniable.

Omah Lay

Omah Lay also makes the list through his feature on Davido’s With You. For an artiste whose sound thrives on emotion and vulnerability, the nomination signals how far his music is travelling beyond Nigeria’s borders.

In 2025, Davido’s With You featuring Omah Lay, set a new record for the highest first-week streams on Spotify Nigeria, recording 4.98 million streams.

The song is one of the lead singles from his album 5ive.

Fela Kuti

Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will also be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Kuti will be recognised alongside fellow honourees Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon. The award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, held on the eve of Grammy Sunday.

Beyond individual names, this year’s shortlist tells a bigger story. Afrobeats is no longer knocking on global doors. It is already inside the room, shaping conversations, sounds and trends.

The 2026 Grammys will be hosted by Trevor Noah and broadcast live from Los Angeles (Guardian)

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