The 17th Headies Awards, Nigeria’s premier music awards ceremony, took place on April 27, 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre, delivering a night of electrifying performances and well-deserved accolades. Hosted by actress Nancy Isime, the event celebrated the vibrant talent driving African music forward, with performances by Flavour, Shallipopi, Odumodublvck, Qing Madi, Ayo Maff, and KCEE. The ceremony, which ran until 3 a.m., showcased the diversity and dynamism of Afrobeats and beyond, cementing its status as a cultural cornerstone.
Rema emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, clinching multiple awards, including Album of the Year and Afrobeats Album of the Year for his groundbreaking project HEIS.
Odumodublvck’s win for Next Rated was a standout moment, as he took the stage alongside his mother and his Anti World Gangster crew, embodying the raw energy of Nigeria’s street-hop scene. His victory, which came with a coveted prize (a car, as is tradition for the category), highlighted his meteoric rise and undeniable impact in 2024.
17th Headies Awards 2025: Full list of winners
Best Recording of the Year
“Burning” – Tems (WINNER)
“Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez
“Higher” – Burna Boy
“Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr and Giveon
“Billions” – Sarz and Lojay
Album of the Year
HEIS – Rema (WINNER)
Stubborn – Victony
Work of Art – Asake
The Year I Turned 21 – Ayra Starr
Born In the Wild – Tems
Song of the Year
“Lonely at the Top” – Asake (WINNER)
“Happiness” – Sarz
“Cast” – Shallipopi ft. Odumodublvck
“Ogo” – Seyi Vibez
“Asap” – Shallipopi
Best Male Artiste
Asake
Rema
Burna Boy
Davido
Seyi Vibez
Best Female Artiste
Ayra Starr
Tems
Simi
Tiwa Savage
Yemi Alade
Next Rated
Odumodublvck (WINNER)
Qing Madi
Shallipopi
Ayo Maff
Nasboi
Rookie of the Year
Zerry DL (WINNER)
Taves
Kaestyle
Llona
Best Vocal Performance (Male)
“Billions” – Lojay (WINNER)
“Moving” – Omah Lay
“Gratitude” – Anendlessocean
“For You” – Johnny Drille
“Ke Na Ke So” – Timi Dakolo
Best Vocal Performance (Female)
“I’m Done” – Liya (WINNER)
“Last Heartbreak Song” – Ayra Starr
“Level” – Niniola
“Stranger” – Simi
“Tomorrow” – Yemi Alade
Songwriter of the Year (Female)
“Vision” – Qing Madi (WINNER)
“Loyal” – Simi
“Butterflies” – Tems
“Complicated” – Ayra Starr
“Emotions” – Tiwa Savage
Best Collabo
“Egwu” – Chike and Mohbad (WINNER)
“IDK” – Wizkid ft. Zlatan
“Emotions” – Tiwa Savage ft. Asa
“Blood on the Dance Floor” – Odumodublvck, Bloody Civilian, and Wale
“Dealer” – Ayo Maff ft. Fireboy DML
Artiste of the Year
Davido (WINNER)
Ayra Starr
Asake
Tems
Rema
Burna Boy
Music Video of the Year
“Egwu” – Director Pink (WINNER)
“Charm” – Rema, Perliks and Folarin Oludare
“Metaverse” – Jyde Ajala
“Like Ice Spice” – Perliks and Emeka Shine Shine
“Ojapiano” – Mattmax
“Showa” – TG Omori
“Na Money” – Dammy Twitch
International Artiste of the Year
Travis Scott – “Active” (Asake) (WINNER)
Wale – “Blood On The Dance Floor” (Odumodublvck)
Skepta – “Tony Montana” (ft. Portable)
Chris Brown – “Hmm” (ft. Davido)
Chloe Bailey – “Vision (Remix)” (Qing Madi)
Best Street-hop Artiste
“Ask About Me” – Mohbad (WINNER)
“Different Patterns” – Seyi Vibez
“Dealer” – Ayo Maff (ft. Fireboy DML)
“Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. Odumodublvck)
“Johnbull” – Zhus Jdo
Afrobeats Single of the Year
“Big Baller” – Flavour (WINNER)
“Big Big Things” – Young Jonn (ft. Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez)
“Twe Twe Remix” – Kizz Daniel
“Egwu” – Chike (ft. Mohbad)
“Remember” – Asake
“Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel (ft. Davido)
Best Rap Single
“Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. Odumodublvck) (WINNER)
“Blood On the Dance Floor” – Odumodublvck (ft. Bloody Civilian and Wale)
“Hallelujah” – Ladipoe (ft. Rozzz and Morello)
“Canada” – Magnito
“Ije Nwoke” – Jeriq
Best Rap Album
Family Time – Erigga (WINNER)
Sideh Kai – iLLBliss
Eziokwu – Odumodublvck
Alaye Toh Se Gogo Vol. 1 – Reminisce
Shine Object Syndrome – Modenine
Producer of the Year
“OZEBA” – London (WINNER)
“Happiness” – Sarz
“Basquiat” – Magicsticks
“HEHEHE” – Rema, Producer X, Cubeatz, Deatz and Klimperboy
“Different Patterns” – Dibs
Digital Artiste of the Year
Davido (WINNER)
Ayra Starr
Shallipopi
Rema
Tems
Kizz Daniel
Asake
Best Performer (LIVE)
Burna Boy (WINNER)
Rema
Omah Lay
Flavour
Wizard Chan
Femi Kuti & The Positive Force
Viewers’ Choice
“Egwu” – Chike & Mohbad (WINNER)
“Big Baller” – Flavour
“Big Big Things” – Young Jonn (ft. Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez)
“Ogechi Remix” – Hyce, Boypee, and Brown Joel (ft. Davido)
“Showa” – Kizz Daniel
“Different Pattern” – Seyi Vibez
“OZEBA” – Rema
“Love Me Jeje” – Tems
“Cast” – Shallipopi (ft. Odumodublvck)
“Dealer” – Ayo Maff (ft. Fireboy DML)
Soundtrack of the Year
“Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack” – TCJ and Abbey Wonder (A Tribe Called Judah Soundtrack) (WINNER)
“Eledumare” – Teledalase (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre)
“Lose to Gain” – Kaline (Breathe of Life)
“Kill Boro” – Native Filmworks and Wizard Chan (Kill Boro)
“Orisa” – Beriola (Orisa)
“Emotions” – Tiwa Savage and Asa (Water and Garri)
Best Inspirational Single
“You Do This One” – Mercy Chinwo (WINNER)
“Gratitude” – Anendlessocean
“Worthy of My Praise” – Dunsin Oyekan ft. Lawrence Oyor
“Good God” – Limoblaze ft. Naomi Raine
“Particularly” – 2Gaise Baba ft. Tope Alabi
Best Southern African Artiste of the Year
TitoM (South Africa) (WINNER)
Yuppe (South Africa)
Tyla (South Africa)
Kelly Kay (Malawi)
Plutonio (Mozambique)
Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)
Best North African Artiste of the Year
Soolking (Algeria) (WINNER)
Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
ElGrandeToto (Morocco)
Balti (Tunisia)
Abu (Egypt)
Best East African Artiste of the Year
Juma Jux (Tanzania) (WINNER)
Bien (Kenya)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
Azawi (Uganda)
Best West African Artiste of the Year
Himra (Ivory Coast) (WINNER)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
King Promise (Ghana)
Josey (Ivory Coast)
Toofan (Togo)
Best Central African Artiste of the Year
Innoss’B (DRC) (WINNER)
Gaz Mawete (DRC)
Emma’a (Gabon)
Eboloko (Gabon)
Singuila (Central African Republic)
Kocee (Cameroon)
Special Recognition Award Recipients
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos (WINNER)
Alex Okosi (WINNER)
Amaju Pinnick (WINNER)
Kcee (WINNER)
Humanitarian Award Recipients
Temitola Adekunle Johnson (WINNER)
Michelle Mukoro (King Mitchy) (WINNER)
