Nigeria’s biggest music exports, Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, Ayra Starr, and Omah Lay, endured a disappointing night at the 2026 Grammy Awards after failing to secure wins in their respective categories, despite multiple high-profile nominations.
The awards ceremony was held on February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with South African comedian Trevor Noah returning as host. The event once again placed African music at the centre of global attention, underscoring both its growing influence and fierce competition on the world stage.
In the highly watched Best African Music Performance category, South African star Tyla clinched the award, edging out a strong field that included Burna Boy’s Love, Wizkid and Ayra Starr’s Gimme Dat, Davido and Omah Lay’s With You, and Hope & Love by Uganda’s Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin. Tyla’s victory continues her remarkable Grammy run and reinforces her status as one of Africa’s most successful new-generation acts.
Burna Boy also missed out in the Best Global Music Album category, where his nominated project was beaten by Senegalese legend Youssou N’Dour, whose album Eclairer le monde: Light the World claimed the prize. The result marked another moment of recognition for African music veterans alongside the continent’s younger stars.
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Tyla’s latest win adds to her growing Grammy legacy, having previously taken home the Best African Music Performance award in 2024 for her global hit Water. Her consistent success highlights South Africa’s rising prominence in the international music industry.
While Nigerian artists dominated nominations, the country’s only recent Grammy triumph in the African performance category came in 2025, when Tems won with Love Me JeJe. That victory saw her outperform a competitive lineup of fellow Nigerians, including Yemi Alade, Asake, Wizkid, Davido, Lojay, and Burna Boy.
Despite the losses, the strong Nigerian presence at the 2026 Grammy Awards reflects the continued global demand for Afrobeats and African music, setting the stage for even bigger wins in the years ahead.
