Nigeria’s sound has gone global and there’s no turning back. What started as a local wave has become a full-blown movement, breaking records and setting new standards for what global music sounds like.
Nowhere is that impact clearer than at the Grammys; the world’s biggest stage for music. The latest nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards (coming in 2026) prove it once again.
Afrobeats powerhouse Burna Boy just extended his lead, officially becoming the most Grammy-nominated Nigerian artist ever with an incredible 13 career nods. His latest project, No Sign of Weakness (2025), scored a nomination for Best Global Music Album, making him the first Nigerian artist to earn five album-category nominations in Grammy history.
This moment isn’t just about one star. It’s a story that stretches from the Afrobeat and Jùjú pioneers to today’s Afrobeats powerhouses.
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In this article, we spotlight the nine Nigerian artists who’ve racked up the most Grammy nominations of all time.
1. Burna Boy – 13 Grammy Nominations
Wins: 1
Burna Boy stands today as the undisputed champion of Nigerian Grammy history, having cemented his status with a staggering 13 nominations. His mastery of fusing Afrobeats with Dancehall, Pop, and global genres has made him a perpetual favourite of the Academy.
Burna Boy’s phenomenal list of nominations is as follows: Best World Music Album for African Giant (2020), Best Global Music Album for Twice as Tall (2021), a category he secured the win. He also bagged other nominations such as Best Global Music Performance for “Do Yourself” (featuring Angélique Kidjo) (2022), Album of the Year as a featured artist on Justin Bieber’s Justice: Triple Chucks Deluxe (2022), Best Global Music Performance for “Last Last” (2023), Best Global Music Album for Love, Damini (2023), Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Sittin’ on Top of the World” (2024), Best Global Music Performance for “Alone” (2024), Best African Music Performance for “City Boys” (2024), Best Global Music Album for I Told Them… (2024), Best African Music Performance for “Higher” (2025), Best Global Music Album for No Sign of Weakness (2026), and Best African Music Performance for “Love” (2026).
Burna’s genre-spanning popularity over the course of several years is a powerful indication of his creative adaptability and global commercial supremacy.
2. Sade Adu – 9 Grammy Nominations
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Sade Adu has freckles [Melanmagazine]
Wins: 4
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Best New Artist at the 29th Grammy Awards
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Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “No Ordinary Love” at the 36th Grammy Awards
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Best Pop Vocal Album for Lovers Rock at the 44th Grammy Awards
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Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Soldier of Love” at the 53rd Grammy Awards)
Born Helen Folasade Adu in Ibadan, Nigeria (then British-Nigeria), the smooth-soul icon Sade Adu was the long-time torchbearer of Nigerian-born excellence at the Grammys. Her nine nominations and four wins cemented her legacy as a sophisticated and commercially successful global artist long before the Afrobeats explosion.
Sade Adu’s esteemed nominations span decades, featuring: Best New Artist (1986), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Promise” (1987), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “No Ordinary Love” (1994), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Please Send Me Someone to Love” (1995), Best Pop Vocal Album for Lovers Rock (2002), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Soldier of Love” (2011), Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Babyfather” (2011), Best Long Form Music Video for “Bring Me Home – Live 2011” (2013), and a highly anticipated nomination for Best Music Video for “Young Lion” (2026).
Her four wins, including the coveted Best New Artist, established a high bar for excellence.
3. Tems – 8 Grammy Nominations
Wins: 2
Tems is the contemporary female artiste who has most rapidly accumulated Grammy accolades, boasting eight nominations. She has quickly become an international superstar and the Academy’s critical darling thanks to her unique style and strategic collaborations.
Tems’ nominations feature: Best Global Music Performance for “Essence” alongside Wizkid (2021), Album of the Year as a featured artist on Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE (2023), Best Rap Song for “Wait For U” (2023), Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Wait For U” (2023), Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Lift Me Up” (2024), Best African Music Performance for “Love Me Jeje” (2025), a category she won, Best R&B Song for “Burning” (2025), and Best Global Music Album for Born in the Wild (2025).
Her two wins demonstrate her ability to transcend the World Music categories and claim success in competitive R&B and Rap fields, even as an Afrobeats act.
4. Wizkid – 6 Grammy Nominations
Wins: 1
Wizkid is a central figure in the Afrobeats global takeover and is tied for the third-most career nominations by a Nigerian artiste with six nods. Big Wiz’s artistry has been instrumental in bridging the gap between African and American mainstream music.
Wizkid’s nominations feature: Album of the Year as a featured artist on Drake’s Views (2016), Best Music Video for “Brown Skin Girl” (2021), a category he won.
He also earned other nominations such as Best Global Music Album for Made in Lagos (2022), Best Global Music Performance for “Essence” with Tems (2022), Best African Music Performance for “MMS” with Asake (2025), and Best African Music Performance for “Gimme Dat” with Ayra Starr (2026). His win alongside Beyoncé and his subsequent solo and collaborative nominations underscore his enduring global star power.
5. Femi Kuti – 6 Grammy Nominations
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Femi Kuti
Wins: 0
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (Femi Kuti) is the standard-bearer of Afrobeat excellence, carrying the torch of his legendary dad Fela Kuti. His six competitive nominations across the World Music and Global Music categories are a testament to his unwavering commitment to his revolutionary sound.
Femi Kuti’s significant body of work has earned him the following six nominations: Best World Music Album for Fight to Win (2003), Best Contemporary World Music Album for Day by Day (2010), Best World Music Album for Africa for Africa (2012), Best World Music Album for No Place for My Dream (2014), Best Global Music Performance for “Pà Pá Pà” (2022), and Best Global Music Album for Legacy+ with Made Kuti (2022).
6. Davido – 5 Grammy Nominations
Wins: 0
Davido has secured five career nominations that validate his relentless output and massive global fan base. OBO’s recent explosion of Grammy nods has cemented him as one of Afrobeats true titans.
Davido’s nominations include: Best Global Music Album for Timeless (2024), Best African Music Performance for “Unavailable” featuring Musa Keys (2024), Best Global Music Performance for “Feel” (2024), Best African Music Performance for “Sensational” with Chris Brown and Lojay (2025), and Best African Music Performance for “With You” with Omah Lay (2026).
His impressive streak, focused heavily on the newly created African categories, marks a high point in his illustrious career.
7. King Sunny Adé – 2 Grammy Nominations
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Juju music legend, King Sunny Ade
Wins: 0
King Sunny Adé is the patriarch of this Grammy list, holding the indelible honour of being the first Nigerian artist ever nominated for a Grammy Award. His Jùjú music introduced the complex rhythms and storytelling of Nigerian folk to a global audience.
The Jùjú music master’s nominations were: Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording for Synchro System (1984), and Best World Music Album for Odu (1999). His 1984 nomination was a monumental breakthrough that established the initial bridge between the Recording Academy and West African popular music.
8. Ayra Starr – 2 Grammy Nominations
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Wins: 0
Ayra Starr has rapidly emerged as a leading female voice and secured two career nominations. Her early recognition speaks volumes about the global reach of Nigerian female Afropop.
Ayra Starr’s nominations feature: Best African Music Performance for “Rush” (2024), and Best African Music Performance for “Gimme Dat” with Wizkid (2026). Her presence on the initial nomination list for the new African Music Performance category established the Mavin superstar as a critical new voice and a potential multi-award winner in the years to come.
9. Asake – 2 Grammy Nominations
Wins: 0
Asake is one of the most exciting new entrants to the Grammy list, quickly securing two nominations with his distinct ‘Yoruba-Gospel-Amapiano’ sound. His immediate success reflects the Academy’s broadened recognition of diverse Afrobeats subgenres.
Asake’s nominations include: Best African Music Performance for “Amapiano” with Olamide (2024), and Best African Music Performance for “MMS” with Wizkid (2025). His rapid rise to fame and the widespread appeal of his distinctive musical style are evidenced by his two nominations in the coveted Best African Music Performance category.
