5 Reasons Why The Headies Would Probably Never Get Better

Despite repeated calls for change and years of criticism, the 17th edition of Nigeria’s premier award show served as a painful reminder of why the Headies continue to lose credibility and respect among artists and fans.

It’s frustrating how the Headies have turned mediocrity into tradition. Every year, it’s the same script: poor coordination, poor production, gross incompetence, and a blatant disregard for the artists’ and the audience’s time and effort. The organisers seem to have become comfortable with mediocrity, relying on the prestige of earlier editions while refusing to evolve. Instead of learning from previous blunders, they double down on the same tired mistakes.

“The next one if una see me make I bend.” These were the words of Shallipopi, who flew in from the United Kingdom to attend the event, only to be disrespected. After being announced as the Best Rap Single category winner and called up to the stage, he left empty-handed due to the Headies’ failure to present a plaque. In response, the President of Pluto confirmed he would not be attending the 18th edition of the award show, scheduled for December 2025.

Every event points to deeper issues within the award show’s structure, leadership, and priorities. As a result, this writer has come to a sobering conclusion: the Headies may be fundamentally incapable of meaningful change. Here are his reasons why.

READ MORE: 17th Headies Awards – Full Winners List

Rigid and unaccountable leadership

At its core, the Headies suffers from a lack of accountability. Year after year, the same problems resurface, yet no one is held responsible. The organisers operate in a vacuum, with little transparency and even less engagement with the very community they claim to represent. There are no formal apologies after mediocre events, no clear efforts at correcting the wrongs of previous editions—just a rinse-and-repeat cycle of mediocrity fed to the audience as prestige. When a system lacks self-awareness and refuses to listen or accept constructive criticism, improvement is impossible.

The current leadership of the Headies appears to be deeply entrenched and resistant to change of any sort. After years of repeating the same embarrassing mistakes, there’s no evidence to suggest they’re capable of honest self-reflection or even willing to acknowledge their failings. Those who have held the reins for years have refused to evolve with the culture. Rather than opening the doors for younger, more competent hands well-versed in the ever-changing dynamics of the Nigerian music industry, the leadership of the Headies has held on to outdated formulas that are not working.

Misaligned financial incentives

The Headies appears more focused on securing sponsorships and generating social media buzz than on celebrating musical excellence. This business model rewards celebrity appearances over substance and professionalism. This explains why Big Brother Naija alumni and Nollywood actors were called to present awards in a hall filled with veteran musicians and prominent industry folks. It’s all about the sponsorship for them, and as long as sponsors keep writing cheques, there’s minimal incentive for them to reform.

Diminishing stakes

As more A-list artists continue to distance themselves from the award, the stakes for failure will continue to decrease. If Asake, Rema, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Ayra Starr, and other top artists choose to ignore the awards—or, even worse, care less about winning them—The Headies faces less pressure to improve or deliver excellence. With Shallipopi announcing his absence from the 18th edition of the award show, it’s more than likely that many of his peers will follow suit.

This creates a downward spiral where decreased artist participation leads to decreased relevance, which further reduces the pressure and the need for change.

Lack of competition

While the AMVCA is proof that Nigerian award shows can be executed with professionalism, excellence, and respect for the creatives they celebrate, the AMVCA excels in quality production that reflects the professionalism of its organisers. This, in turn, creates a culture of respect, encouraging movie stars to rise to the occasion and present themselves with grace. A subtle contrast with the chaotic nature of the Headies, where even artists often reflect the disorganisation they’re subjected to.

READ MORE: Is Live Streaming The Next Frontier In Nigerian Music Marketing?

The Headies exist in a bubble of incompetence and complacency. One of the problems is its lack of stiff competition in the music award space. Yes, there have been other attempts, such as the Soundcity MVP Awards, MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), and a few others—but none have come close to the Headies in terms of cultural impact, consistency, or local relevance. Through the years, the Headies has managed to position itself as the definitive stamp of recognition in Nigerian music, which unfortunately allows it to operate without any competition. With no strong rival threatening its dominance, there’s no desire to reform.

The result of this monopoly is the incompetence and laziness we’ve witnessed from the Headies over the years. Until a credible and consistent alternative emerges to challenge its position, the Headies will continue repeating the same frustrating mistakes.

It’s more than a surface issue

The issues with the Headies reflect a fundamental failure of vision and values. The organisers seem to struggle with understanding what makes an award prestigious in today’s ecosystem. It’s not just about the glitz and glamour, the megastars present, or the beautifully decorated hall. While all those are important, what’s more important is the trust, respect, and alignment with the values of the artists and culture it seeks to celebrate.

Fixing surface-level problems like time management or ensuring plaques are available are simply band-aid solutions to surgery-level problems and will do nothing to address the growing disconnect between the Headies and the current pulse of Nigerian music. An award show earns its prestige not only by handing out trophies but also by being in touch with the culture, embracing innovation, and creating a platform that both the artists and the audience feel proud to be associated with. An award is something people need to aspire to.

Once the targeted audience stops aspiring to it on a significant scale, it’s over. To maintain that aspiration, the brand must carry a prestige that strengthens with time—something the Headies is steadily losing. The Headies have failed to evolve alongside the industry, and that disconnect is impossible to ignore.

My take

The sad reality is that institutions rarely transform without existential threats or a complete leadership overhaul. Without these catalysts, the Headies will continue its gradual decline into irrelevance. It’s like watching a dying dog die.

An award show that hosts media hangouts, secures massive endorsement deals, organises seminars and workshops, and gathers thousands of music fans, only to not have plaques ready for winners on award night? Seriously? How does an award show spend months planning, only to not announce the winners of all categories on the night itself, or even days after? It’s an absolute embarrassment. The Headies is simply mediocre as it stands. It’s the worst award show in the entire history of African pop culture.

How can an award show be more obsessed with clout-chasing on social media before the ceremony but fail every single time to be structured, punctual, and deliver quality production? This is one of the reasons African pop culture—especially African music, and more specifically Afrobeats—hasn’t yet fulfilled its global potential.

Yes, there’s room for improvement. There’s a need for structure. There’s a clear need for human capital development. But terrible and obscure organisers—like the folks behind the Headies—make it nearly impossible for the genre to grow. Come on. This is just bad.

Considering how big the Headies brand is—and how consistently terrible Smooth Promotions has handled it—the only realistic way forward is for the show to be acquired by another company. A more reputable brand. One that prioritises quality and has zero tolerance for mediocrity.

Tell me why Smooth Promotions is now trying to host two award nights in 2025 when they can’t even manage one properly. For what? To punish Lagosians and African music lovers with twice the disorganisation and chaos?