Nigeria had a major night at the AFRIMMA 2026 awards, with Davido, Tems, BNXN and several other Nigerian entertainers taking home honours in Dallas, Texas. The ceremony returned on September 12 after a two-year break, with awards spread across 41 categories.
Davido won Album of the Year for 5ive, while Tems was named Best Female West Africa. BNXN and producer Sarz also won Song of the Year for their collaboration, “Back Outside.”
Nigeria’s Wins Went Beyond Afrobeats
The biggest story from the AFRIMMA 2026 winners list is the range of Nigerian names recognised at the ceremony.
Phyno won Best Male Rap Act, Ruger took Best Male West Africa, and Fola won Best Newcomer. Mercy Chinwo won Best Gospel, while Patoranking was recognised as Best Male Reggae/Dancehall.
The Nigerian presence also extended outside music. DJ Tunez won Best DJ Africa, Real Warri Pikin won Best Comedian, Uche Montana won Best Actress and Victor Osimhen was named Athlete of the Year.
That spread makes the event bigger than a single victory for Davido and 5ive. It shows Nigerian talent being recognised across several areas of African entertainment and popular culture.
Davido’s 5ive Gets Another Major Recognition
Davido entered the ceremony with five nominations, including Artist of the Year and Best Male West Africa. He did not win Artist of the Year, which went to Congolese star Fally Ipupa, but 5ive secured Album of the Year.
For Davido, the award adds another international honour to an album that has remained part of the conversation around his latest career phase.
AFRIMMA Returns With a Bigger Format
The 2026 edition also marked a change for AFRIMMA. The awards returned after a two-year hiatus in a festival format at Annette Strauss Square in Dallas.
The combination of the awards and live music festival gave African artists another platform to connect with audiences in the diaspora. With Nigerian acts taking honours across 17 categories, the night also highlighted how much of that wider African music conversation continues to be driven by Nigerian talent.
