The prestigious Headies Awards made its long-awaited return to Nigerian soil on Sunday night, as the continent's music elite gathered at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos. After two years in Atlanta, Georgia, the ceremony—themed "Back to Base" and "Apologetically African"—celebrated musical excellence for the period from April 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024.

This year's edition expanded its recognition scope by introducing two new categories: "Soundtrack of the Year" and "Best Performer (Live)," reflecting the growing diversity of artistic expression in African music.

Technical Difficulties Mar Celebration

Despite the glamour and excitement, the event faced significant time management and technical challenges. Organizers were forced to conclude the ceremony abruptly before announcing winners in several major categories. As of 3:32am WAT, results for Best R&B Single, Best Collaboration, Lyricist On The Roll, and several other prominent awards remained unannounced.

Notable Winners

Odumodublvck claimed the coveted Next Rated Award, while Asake's "Lonely At The Top" secured Song of the Year honors. Tems continued her impressive rise with a win for Best Recording of the Year for "Burning." Rema's "HEIS" triumphed as Afrobeats Album of the Year, and Lojay earned recognition for Best Vocal Performance (Male) with "Billions."

In a special moment, Funke Akindele's blockbuster film "A Tribe Called Judah" won the inaugural Soundtrack of the Year award.

## Complete Winners List

**Major Categories:**
- Best Recording: Tems, "Burning"
- Artist of the Year: (Not announced)
- Next Rated: Odumodublvck
- Album of the Year: (Not announced)
- Song of the Year: Asake, "Lonely At The Top"
- Songwriter of the Year: Chimamanda Pearl Chukwuma, "Vision" (Qing Madi)

**Performance Categories:**
- Best Vocal Performance (Male): Lojay, "Billions"
- Best Vocal Performance (Female): Liya, "I'm Done"
- Rookie of the Year: Zerry DL
- Music Video of the Year: "Egwu," Director Pink
- Digital Artist of the Year: Davido

**Genre Excellence:**
- Best Street-hop Artist: Mohbad, "Ask About Me"
- Afrobeats Single of the Year: Flavour, "Big Baller"
- Afrobeats Album of the Year: Rema, "HEIS"
- Best Rap Single: Shallipopi and Odumodublvck, "Cast"

**Technical Excellence:**
- Producer of the Year: London, "Ozeba"
- Viewers' Choice: Chike ft. Mohbad, "Egwu"

**Regional Recognition:**
- Best East African Artist: Juma Jux (Tanzania)
- Best Central African Artist: Innoss'B (DRC)

The awards ceremony reaffirmed Nigeria's position as the heartbeat of African music while highlighting both established stars and emerging talents across the continent.