Nigerian music is in the global spotlight as five artists earn nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards, while Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is set to receive a historic posthumous honour.
The countdown to the 68th Grammy Awards has begun, with Nigerian music once again taking centre stage on the global scene. The ceremony will hold on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where five Nigerian artists are nominated, underscoring the country’s growing dominance in the international music industry.
Burna Boy leads the Nigerian contingent with two nominations, earning nods for “Love” in the Best African Music Performance category and No Sign of Weakness in Best Global Music Album. Davido also returns to the Grammy stage with a nomination for “With You” featuring Omah Lay in Best African Music Performance, a track from his album 5ive that recorded 4.98 million first-week streams on Spotify Nigeria in 2025. Ayra Starr joins the race with “Gimme Dat” featuring Wizkid in the same category, while Wizkid and Omah Lay also earn nominations through their featured performances.
Adding historic weight to Nigeria’s presence, Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will receive a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to be honoured in that category. He will be celebrated alongside global icons such as Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026.