Nigerian music heavyweights made a powerful statement at the 2025 AAEA Music Awards, with Burna Boy emerging as the biggest winner after clinching the Best Overall Male Artist title. The award ceremony, held in Nairobi, celebrated excellence in African music and showcased the dominance of Nigerian acts across various categories.
Afrobeats megastar Wizkid bagged the Best Afro-R&B Song for ‘Piece of My Heart’ featuring American R&B star Brent Faiyaz, while British-Nigerian sensation Darkoo was named Best Diasporan Act, thanks to the success of her hit ‘Favourite Girl’ remix featuring Rema.
Asake also made a mark, winning Best Afro-Native Song for ‘MMS’ featuring *Wizkid, one of the standout tracks from his third studio album ‘Lungu Boy’.
Rising global star Ayra Starr continued her impressive run with a win for Best Female Artist in West Africa, while street-hop sensation Seyi Vibez was awarded Best Male Artist in West Africa. Rap phenom OdumoduBlvck also clinched Best Rapper in West Africa, reinforcing his status as a leader in the genre.
On the international front, Davido and Chris Brown’s collaboration ‘Hmm’ from Brown’s album ’11:11′ earned the duo the Best Global Collaboration award, adding another milestone to their musical partnership.
Meanwhile, Grammy-winning singer Tems secured Best Global Female African Artist, further solidifying her place as one of the most influential African voices on the world stage.
Other big winners on the night included Diamond Platnumz, who took home Best Global African Male Artist, and South African breakout star Tyla, who was recognized as the Best Southern African Act.
With these wins, Nigerian artists continue to assert their influence across Africa and beyond, driving the continent’s sound to new heights on the global stage.
