Will a Nigerian win at the 2027 Grammys? The nominations for the 69th Grammy Awards will be announced on Monday 16 November 2026, and several of Nigeria’s biggest stars have entered work for consideration, including Davido, Tems, Asake, Ayra Starr and Victony. Afrobeats now has a permanent home at the Grammys in the Best African Music Performance category, but Nigerian artists have won it only once in three years.
This guide explains who has submitted, which categories they are targeting, when nominations and the ceremony take place, how the Grammy process works, and Nigeria’s full record at the awards. We will update it with the official list of Nigerian nominees on 16 November. For more on the music scene, see our list of Afrobeats artists to watch and our guide to Nigerian pop culture in 2026.
Last updated: 21 October 2026. Submissions are as reported by Nigerian media and have not been confirmed by the Recording Academy. Submissions are not nominations.
Key dates for the 2027 Grammys
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Eligibility period (release dates that count) | 31 August 2025 to 28 August 2026 |
| Submission window | 7 July to 21 August 2026 |
| First-round voting | 12 to 22 October 2026 |
| Nominations announced | Monday 16 November 2026 |
| Final-round voting | 10 December 2026 to 7 January 2027 |
| Ceremony | Sunday 7 February 2027, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles |
The 2027 ceremony moves to ABC in the United States, with streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, for the first time. In Nigeria, the ceremony usually takes place in the early hours of Monday morning (Nigerian time), so most fans follow the main winners live on social media and watch highlights later.
Nigerian artists who have submitted for the 2027 Grammys
According to reports by Premium Times and Amplify Africa in mid-October, these Nigerian artists have entered work for consideration:
Davido
- Album Oriadé: Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album, plus engineering and album cover categories.
- “B4 B4” (with Mayorkun and FOLA): Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance.
- “Nakupenda” and “Le Show” (with Ayra Starr and French Montana): Best African Music Performance.
Tems
- Project Love Is a Kingdom: Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album.
- “What You Need”: Record and Song of the Year, Best R&B Solo Performance and Best R&B Song.
- “Raindance” (with Dave) in rap categories, “I Think You’re Special” (with Justin Bieber) for Best R&B Duo/Group Performance, and “Big Daddy” for Best African Music Performance.
Asake
- Album M$NEY: Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album.
- “Gratitude”: Record and Song of the Year and Best African Music Performance.
- “Jogodo” (with Wizkid) for Best African Music Performance, and “Worship” (with DJ Snake) for Best Dance Pop Recording.
Ayra Starr
- Album Starrgirl: Album of the Year and Best Global Music Album.
- “Heaven Baby” (with Zayn): Record and Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
- “Who’s Dat Girl” (with Rema): Best Global Music Performance.
- Four entries for Best African Music Performance, including “Aye Kan” with Angélique Kidjo and “Show Me” with Latto.
Others
- Victony: album Starlife (Album of the Year, Best Global Music Album) and “Slick” (Best African Music Performance).
- Burna Boy: “Dai Dai” with Shakira, reportedly entered for Record and Song of the Year, Best Global Music Performance and Best Music Video.
- Seun Kuti: “Na Dem” (with Tom Morello) and “Problems” (with Kabaka Pyramid) for Best African Music Performance.
Some reported entries, including Burna Boy’s and Rema’s, could not be independently verified by Nigerian outlets. Any eligible recording can be submitted, so a long list of entries says little about who will actually be nominated.
Who has the best chance?
Best African Music Performance remains Nigeria’s most realistic category. It usually has five nominees and has drawn at least three Nigerian acts every year since it was introduced. The main rival is South Africa’s Tyla, who has won it twice (“Water” in 2024 and “Push 2 Start” in 2026) and has entered three more songs this year.
Tems is Nigeria’s strongest bet across categories. She is the only Nigerian to have won the African category, and her R&B entries and collaborations with Dave and Justin Bieber give her a route into the mainstream American categories, where she won before with “Wait for U” in 2023.
Best Global Music Album is the other realistic target, with albums from Davido, Asake, Tems, Ayra Starr and Victony all entered. Burna Boy won it in 2021 with Twice as Tall, but Nigerian albums have lost in this category in each of the last few years.
How the Grammy process works
- Submission: record labels and members submit eligible recordings released within the eligibility period. Anyone eligible can be entered, which is why the submissions lists are long.
- Screening: the Recording Academy checks that each entry is in the right category.
- First-round voting: voting members, who are working music professionals such as performers, producers, songwriters and engineers, choose the nominees. They can vote in the general categories and a limited number of genre categories where they have expertise.
- Nominations: the nominees are announced, this year on 16 November.
- Final-round voting: members vote for the winners.
- Ceremony: winners are revealed, most of them at the pre-telecast Premiere Ceremony before the main televised show.
Nigeria’s Grammy history
Nigerian Grammy winners
| Year | Artist | Work | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Babatunde Olatunji (with Mickey Hart and others) | Planet Drum | Best World Music Album |
| 2002 | Sade | Lovers Rock | Best Pop Vocal Album |
| 2009 | Sikiru Adepoju (with Mickey Hart and others) | Global Drum Project | Best Contemporary World Music Album |
| 2021 | Burna Boy | Twice as Tall | Best Global Music Album |
| 2021 | Wizkid (with Beyoncé, Blue Ivy and Saint Jhn) | “Brown Skin Girl” | Best Music Video |
| 2023 | Tems (with Future and Drake) | “Wait for U” | Best Melodic Rap Performance |
| 2025 | Tems | “Love Me JeJe” | Best African Music Performance |
Burna Boy is Nigeria’s most-nominated artist of the current generation, with nominations almost every year since 2020, followed by Tems, Wizkid, Davido and Femi Kuti, who earned several nominations in the old world music category.
Best African Music Performance so far
- 2024 (first year): won by Tyla, “Water”. Nigerian nominees: Asake and Olamide (“Amapiano”), Burna Boy (“City Boys”), Davido (“Unavailable”) and Ayra Starr (“Rush”).
- 2025: won by Tems, “Love Me JeJe”, Nigeria’s first win in the category.
- 2026: won by Tyla, “Push 2 Start”. Nigerian nominees: Davido with Omah Lay (“With You”), Ayra Starr with Wizkid (“Gimme Dat”) and Burna Boy (“Love”). Burna Boy was also nominated for Best Global Music Album for No Sign of Weakness. No Nigerian won at the February 2026 ceremony.
Why the Grammys matter for Nigerian music
A Grammy nomination brings international bookings, playlist placements and higher streaming numbers, and it puts Nigerian artists in front of American industry decision-makers. The creation of the African category in 2024 was a direct result of Afrobeats’ global growth, led by Nigerian stars. But a dedicated category also has a downside: some critics argue it can box African artists in, making it harder for them to compete in the main pop and R&B categories. Tems’ success in both is the model many Nigerian artists now aim for.
Frequently asked questions
When are the 2027 Grammy nominations announced?
On Monday 16 November 2026. We will update this page with the Nigerian nominees on the day.
When is the 2027 Grammy Awards ceremony?
Sunday 7 February 2027 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Which Nigerian artists have submitted for the 2027 Grammys?
Reported entries include Davido, Tems, Asake, Ayra Starr, Victony, Burna Boy and Seun Kuti. Submissions are not nominations.
Has a Nigerian won Best African Music Performance?
Yes, once. Tems won in 2025 with “Love Me JeJe”. South Africa’s Tyla won in 2024 and 2026.
Who is the Nigerian with the most Grammy wins?
Tems, with two wins (2023 and 2025). Burna Boy, Wizkid, Sade, Babatunde Olatunji and Sikiru Adepoju have one each.
Sources
- Recording Academy: 2027 Grammys date, nominations announcement and voting dates
- Premium Times: Davido, Tems, Asake, Ayra Starr submit works for 2027 Grammys (15 October 2026)
- Amplify Africa: 2027 Grammy submissions by African artists (October 2026)
- WithinNigeria: 2027 Grammy submissions and the rules before nominations (11 October 2026)
- Premium Times: Tyla retains Best African Music Performance at the 2026 Grammys (February 2026)
- Wikipedia: List of Nigerian Grammy Award winners and nominees
