Complete List of Winners: 17th Headies Awards

 The 17th edition of The Headies Awards made a spectacular return to Nigeria on Sunday April 27, 2025. The event brought together Africa’s top music stars at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, after a two-year run in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This year, the prestigious event returned “Back to Base” with the theme “Apologetically African,” celebrating the best of African music.

The night featured electrifying performances, heartfelt tributes, and historic wins. However, despite the excitement, technical glitches and scheduling delays marred the event.

Two New Categories Reflect Growing Diversity in African Music

This year’s Headies introduced two new categories: “Soundtrack of the Year” and “Best Performer (Live)”. These additions reflect the growing creativity and diversity within the African music scene. The new categories highlight how much the industry is evolving and expanding its scope of recognition.

Funke Akindele’s blockbuster film A Tribe Called Judah won the inaugural Soundtrack of the Year award, further cementing its place in both the box office and the awards circuit.

Key Winners from The Headies 2024

Despite the event’s abrupt end, several major awards were presented, including:

• Artist of the Year: Burna Boy

• Album of the Year: ‘Born in the Wild’ – Tems

• Song of the Year: “Lonely at the Top” – Asake

• Next Rated: Odumodublvck

• Rookie of the Year: Zerry DL

• Best Rap Single: “Cast” – Shallipopi & Odumodublvck

• Best Vocal Performance (Female): Liya – “I’m Done”

• Best Vocal Performance (Male): Lojay – “Billions”

• Digital Artist of the Year: Davido

The full list of winners is available below.

Event Cut Short by Technical Glitches and Delays

Unfortunately, the night’s glow was dimmed by persistent technical issues and poor time management. According to reports, the event was still running at 3:32 AM WAT, with winners in multiple major categories yet to be announced. Categories such as Best R&B Single, Best Collaboration, and Best Performer (Live) were left incomplete. As a result, the organizers had to end the ceremony prematurely, leaving many fans and nominees disappointed.

A Pan-African Celebration of Talent

Despite the challenges, The Headies stayed true to its Pan-African vision by honoring talented artists from across the continent:

• Best East African Artist: Juma Jux (Tanzania)

• Best Central African Artist: Innoss’B (DRC)

• Best North African Artist: Soolking (Algeria)

• Best West African Artist: Black Sherif (Ghana)

• Best Southern African Artist: Tyla (South Africa)

In conclusion, while The Headies 2024 brought African music to the global stage, the technical difficulties remind us that there’s still room for improvement. We hope the next edition will deliver a more polished and seamless experience for everyone involved.