Let’s celebrate the girlies who took home awards at the 2025 Headies!
The Headies, lauded as Nigeria’s most prestigious music awards, celebrated its triumphant return to Lagos, Nigeria, following two consecutive editions held in Atlanta, USA.
To compensate for the 2024 hiatus, the 17th edition of the Headies awards was held on 27 April 2025. The ceremony honoured the industry’s biggest stars for their contributions between April 2023 and July 2024.
The awards ceremony was marked by electrifying performances from top acts including Qing Madi, Fireboy and Juma Jux. Ayra Starr won the award for “Best Female Artist” and Qing Madi took home the award for “Song Writer of the Year.” Tems also bagged the award for “Best Recording of the Year” cementing their status as one of Africa’s biggest stars.
Here’s the list of winners from the 17th Headies Awards:
Best Recording of the Year
Tems – Burning— Winner
Seyi Vibez – Different Pattern
Burna Boy – Higher
Ayra Starr & Giveon – Last Heartbreak Song
Sarz Featuring Lojay – Billions
Songwriter of the Year
Simisola Kosoko – Stranger (Simi)
Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma – Vision (Qing Madi)— Winner
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— Winner
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)— Winner
Showa – (Tg Omori)
Na Money – (Dammy Twitch)
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
Ayra Starr – Last Heartbreak Song
Niniola – Level
Simi – Stranger
Liya – I’m Done— Winner
Tomorrow – Yemi Alade
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
Billions – Lojay— Winner
Moving – Omah Lay
Gratitude – Anendlessocean
For You – Johnny Drille
Ke Na Ke So – Timi Dakolo
Producer of the Year
Sarz – Happiness
London – Ozeba— Winner
Magicsticks – Basquiat
Rema/Producer X/Cubeatz/Deatz/Klimperboy – Hehehe
Dibs – Different Pattern
Rookie of the Year
Llona
Kaestyle
Taves
Zerrydl— Winner
Song of the Year
Showa – Kizz Daniel
Commas – Ayra Starr
Egwu – Chike and Mohbad
Lonely at the Top – Asake — Winner
Ozeba – Rema
Big Baller – Flavour
Best Rap Single
Cast – Odumodublvck Feat Shallipopi— Winner
Blood on the Dance Floor – Odumodublvck Feat Bloody Civilian & Wale –
Hallelujah – Ladipoe, Rozzz, and Morrelo
Canada – Magnito
Ije Nwoke – Jeriq
Soundtrack of the Year
Orisa – Beriola (Orisa)
A Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack – TCJ and Abbey Wonder— Winner
Eledumare – Teledalase (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre)
Lose to Gain – Kaline (Breathe of Life)
Kill Boro – Native Filmworks and Wizard Chan (Kill Boro)
Emotions – Tiwa Savage and Asa (Water and Garri)
Best Collaboration
Emotions – Tiwa Savage Feat. Asa
Blood on the Dance Floor -Odumodublvck, Bloody Civilian, and Wale
Cast – Shallipopi Ft Odumodublvck
Egwu – Chike and Mohbad— Winner
Ole – Qing Madi and Bnxn
Twe Twe Remix – Kizz Daniel and Davido
Idk – Wizkid Ft. Zlatan
Best Street – Hop Artist
Seyi Vibez – Different Patterns
Ayo Maff – Dealer (Ft. Fireboy Dml)
Shallipopi – Cast (Ft. Odumodublvck)
Zhus Jdo – Johnbull
Mohbad – Ask About Me— Winner
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. David
Big Baller – Flavour— Winner
Lyricist on a Roll
Mogadishu – A-Q
Chocolate City Cypher – M.I Abaga
Chocolate City Cypher –Blaqbonez
Hallelujah – Ladipoe— Winner
Efeleme – Alpha Ojini
Best Inspirational Single
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— Winner
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 and Mohbad— Winner
Ozeba – Rema
Different Pattern – Seyi Vibez
Showa – Kizz Daniel
Love Me Jeje – Tems
Cast – Shallipopi Ft. Odumodublvck
Dealer – Ayo Maff Ft. Fireboy
Big Baller – Flavour
Best West African Artist of the Year
Black Sherif (Ghana)
King Promise (Ghana)
Himra (Ivory Coast)— Winner
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Toofan (Togo)
Best East African Artist of the Year
Bien (Kenya)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Juma Jux (Tanzania)— Winner
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Azawi (Uganda)
Best North African Artist of the Year
Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
Elgrande Toto (Morocco)
Soolking (Algeria) — Winner
Balti (Tunisia)
Abu (Eygpt)
Best Southern African Artist of the Year
Titom (South Africa) — Winner
Yuppe (South Africa)
Tyla (South Africa)
Kelly Kay (Malawi)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)
Best Central African Artist of the Year
Innoss’b (Drc) — Winner
Gaz Mawete (Drc)
Emma’ A (Gabon)
Eboloko (Gabon)
Singuila. (Central African Republic)
Kocee (Cameroon)
Best Rap Album
Sideh Kai – Illbliss
Eziokwu – Odumodublvck
Alaye Toh Se Gogo Vol. 1 –Reminisce
Family Time – Erigga— Winner
Shiny Object Syndrome – Modenine
Headies Next Rated
Qing Madi
Shallipopi
Odumodublvck— Winner
Ayo Maff
Nasboi
Afrobeats Album of the Year
Stubborn – Victony
Work of Art – Asake
The Year I Turned 21 – Ayra Starr
Heis – Rema— Winner
Jiggy Forever – Young Jonn
Digital Artist of the Year
Ayra Starr
Rema
Shallipopi
Tems
Davido— Winner
Kizz Daniel
Asake
Best Performer (Live)
Rema
Omah Lay
Flavour
Wizard Chan
Chan
Burna Boy— Winner
Femi Kuti and The Positive Force
International Artist of the Year
Wale – Blood on the Dance Floor(Odumodublvck)
Skepta – Tony Montana (Ft. Portable)
Chris Brown – Hmmm (Ft. Davido)
Travis Scott – Active (Asake)— Winner
Chloe Bailey – Vision Remix (Qing Madi
Album of the Year
Born in the Wild – Tems
Heis – Rema — Winner
The Year I Turned 21 – Ayra Starr
Stubborn – Victony
Work of Art – Asake
Special Recognition Award Recipients
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos
Alex Okosi
Amaju Pinnick
Kcee
Humanitarian Award Recipients
Temitola Adekunle Johnson
Michelle Mukoro (King Mitchy)
Artist of the year
Davido
