Nigeria’s biggest music award show, The Headies, is set to make a grand return home in 2025, with its organizers announcing two separate editions of the prestigious event.
In a video shared on The Headies’ official X page, the award’s founder, Ayo Animashaun, revealed that the 17th edition will take place on April 5, celebrating music from 2024. He further disclosed that the nominations list for this edition will be released on February 12. Meanwhile, the 18th edition is scheduled for December, covering both 2024 and 2025, aligning with the Detty December festivities.
Explaining the decision, Animashaun clarified that the April edition was originally meant to hold in 2024 but was postponed. “We did not want to miss a calendar year… So the next is going to happen in December,” he stated.
Founded in 2006, The Headies is Nigeria’s most prestigious music award show, recognizing outstanding achievements in the industry. The maiden edition was hosted by Darey Art Alade at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, with notable winners such as Don Jazzy, P-Square, Mode 9, DJ Jimmy Jatt, and Keke Ogungbe.
The Headies made history in 2022 and 2023 by relocating to the United States, with the 16th edition held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 3, 2023. That night, Rema and Burna Boy emerged as the biggest winners with three awards each, while other top stars like Wizkid, Davido, Ayra Starr, Asake, and Omah Lay also took home major honors. The event also saw the induction of Angelique Kidjo into the Headies Hall of Fame.
With its return to Nigeria, fans are eager to witness another spectacular celebration of African music, marking a new chapter in the award show’s legacy.
