Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Nigerian music stars delivered a strong showing at the 2026 African Muzik Magazine Awards (AFRIMMA) in Dallas, Texas, with Davido, Tems, Phyno, Ruger, BNXN, Timaya, Patoranking, Victony and other Nigerian acts emerging among the winners.
The awards ceremony was held at Annette Strauss Square within the AT&T Performing Arts Centre in Dallas, bringing together artists and entertainment figures from across Africa and the diaspora.
The official AFRIMMA results show that Nigerian artists featured prominently across the 41 honours announced for the 2026 edition, underlining Nigeria’s continuing influence in African popular music.
Davido takes Album of the Year
One of the night’s major Nigerian successes came through Davido, whose album 5ive won Album of the Year.
The award adds another international recognition for the Nigerian singer, whose career has helped position Afrobeats prominently within the global music industry.
AFRIMMA listed 5ive as the winner of Album of the Year among its headline honours.
Davido had also been among the nominees for several major categories ahead of the ceremony, including Best Male West Africa, Artist of the Year and other international honours.
Tems wins Best Female West Africa
Nigerian singer Tems emerged as the winner of Best Female West Africa.
She was competing in a category featuring leading female artists from West Africa and secured the regional honour as Nigeria continued its strong representation at the ceremony.
Tems has become one of Nigeria’s most internationally recognised contemporary musicians, with her music reaching audiences well beyond Africa.
AFRIMMA’s official results confirm her victory in the category.
Ruger named Best Male West Africa
Ruger also secured a major regional honour, winning Best Male West Africa.
The Nigerian singer emerged ahead of other nominees in the category, which included established African acts such as Davido, Burna Boy, Rema, Wizkid, BNXN and Black Sherif.
His victory adds to the growing recognition of a new generation of Nigerian artists who have expanded the reach of Afrobeats among younger international audiences.
The official AFRIMMA results list Ruger as the 2026 Best Male West Africa winner.
Phyno wins Best Male Rap Act
Veteran Nigerian rapper Phyno took home the Best Male Rap Act award.
The Enugu-born artist has remained one of the most influential figures in Nigerian indigenous and mainstream hip-hop, particularly through his use of Igbo language alongside contemporary rap and Afrobeats production.
His AFRIMMA victory further recognises the continuing relevance of Nigerian hip-hop within the wider African music industry.
Phyno’s win is confirmed on AFRIMMA’s official winners list.
BNXN and Sarz win Song of the Year
Another major Nigerian victory came in the Song of the Year category, which went to BNXN and Sarz.
The pair were recognised for their collaboration, beating other nominated African artists and songs for one of the ceremony’s headline music honours.
The award highlights the importance of collaborations between Nigerian vocalists and producers in shaping the country’s contemporary sound.
AFRIMMA’s official results identify BNXN and Sarz as the winners of Song of the Year.
Patoranking and other Nigerian winners
Nigeria’s success extended into several other categories.
Patoranking won Best Male Reggae/Dancehall, while Nigerian-American DJ and producer DJ Tunez won Best DJ Africa.
Pink, a Nigerian video director, was named Best Video Director, while Fola won Best Newcomer.
Mercy Chinwo won Best Gospel, adding another Nigerian victory in a category that recognises faith-based music across the continent.
The official results also listed Victony as the recipient of the AFRIMMA Fans Choice Award.
Timaya receives Timeless Impact Award
Nigerian music veteran Timaya was honoured with the Timeless Impact Award.
The recognition places Timaya among the artists whose careers have had a lasting influence on African music and popular culture.
His career spans multiple phases of Nigeria’s modern music industry, including the growth of dancehall and Afrobeats as major forces in the country’s entertainment landscape.
AFRIMMA included the honour among its headline and culture-and-impact awards.
Nigerian stars also dominate culture and impact categories
Nigeria’s presence was not limited to music performance categories.
Football star Victor Osimhen was named Athlete of the Year, while comedian Real Warri Pikin won Best Comedian.
Actor Uche Montana received the Best Actor/Actress award, and Nasty Blaq was named Best Influencer.
The awards also recognised Big Smart as Best Hypeman.
These honours demonstrate AFRIMMA’s increasingly broad approach to African entertainment and cultural influence, extending beyond recording artists to athletes, actors, comedians, influencers and other personalities.
Premium Times separately reported that Osimhen, Real Warri Pikin and other Nigerians were among those recognised during the Dallas ceremony.
Full list of AFRIMMA 2026 winners
According to the official AFRIMMA results, the 41 honours were distributed as follows:
Headline and regional honours
- Artist of the Year: Fally Ipupa
- Album of the Year: Davido — 5ive
- Song of the Year: BNXN & Sarz
- Timeless Impact Award: Timaya
- Best Male West Africa: Ruger
- Best Female West Africa: Tems
- Best Male East Africa: Marioo
- Best Female East Africa: Nikita Kering
- Best Male Central Africa: Gerilson Israel
- Best Female Central Africa: Emma’a
- Best Male Southern Africa: DJ Maphorisa
- Best Female Southern Africa: Tyla
- Best Male North Africa: DJ Snake
- Best Female North Africa: Latifa
Music honours
- Crossing Boundaries with Music Award: Fally Ipupa
- Best Newcomer: Fola
- Best Gospel: Mercy Chinwo
- Best Female Rap Act: Eno Barony
- Best Male Rap Act: Phyno
- Best Collaboration: Diamond Platnumz & Juma Jux
- Best Video Director: Pink
- Best DJ Africa: DJ Tunez
- Best African DJ USA: DJ Prince
- Music Producer of the Year: London
- Best African Dancer: Ghetto Kids
- Best Male Reggae/Dancehall: Patoranking
- Best Female Reggae/Dancehall: Shenseea
- Best African Group: Dope Nation
- Best African USA-Based Artist: Kwate
- AFRIMMA Music Without Borders Award: Juma Jux
Culture and impact honours
- Athlete of the Year: Victor Osimhen
- Best Influencer: Nasty Blaq
- Best Actor/Actress: Uche Montana
- Best Comedian: Real Warri Pikin
- Best Hypeman: Big Smart
- Community Impact Award: Esther Mathew Tonlagha
- Best Francophone: Innoss’B
- Best Lusophone: Gerilson Israel
- AFRIMMA Fans Choice Award: Victony
- AFRIMMA Rising Star: Florito
- Francophone Viewers Choice Award: Didi B. (Afrimma – African Muzik Magazine)
Nigeria’s wider influence on African music
The results provide another indication of Nigeria’s considerable influence on contemporary African entertainment.
From Afrobeats and hip-hop to gospel, reggae/dancehall and music production, Nigerian artists featured across multiple sections of the awards.
The diversity of the Nigerian winners is also significant. Established stars such as Davido, Tems, Timaya, Phyno and Patoranking were recognised alongside younger or newer names including Fola, Victony and Ruger.
This combination of established and emerging talent reflects the depth of Nigeria’s music ecosystem and its ability to continuously produce artists who compete for audiences across Africa and internationally.
Dallas provides global platform for African music
The Dallas ceremony also illustrates the importance of the African diaspora in the growth of the continent’s entertainment industry.
AFRIMMA has positioned itself as a platform connecting African music with audiences in the United States and other international markets.
The 2026 edition brought artists and creative figures from different African regions together on an international stage, while also recognising African entertainers based in the United States.
The official AFRIMMA platform said the 2026 event recorded more than 5,000 attendees, featured more than 100 artists and DJs, and represented more than 40 African countries.
Why the AFRIMMA results matter
For Nigeria, the awards provide another international platform for its artists and broader creative industry.
Music has become one of the country’s most visible cultural exports, with Nigerian artists increasingly collaborating with musicians from other African countries and global markets.
The recognition of Nigerian artists across different categories also shows that the country’s influence is not restricted to Afrobeats alone.
Hip-hop, gospel, reggae/dancehall, music production, DJ culture and entertainment personalities all featured prominently among the Nigerian winners.
For the wider African music industry, the awards demonstrate the increasing international visibility of artists from different regions of the continent.
What happens next
The AFRIMMA 2026 results are expected to further shape the conversation around African music and the artists gaining international recognition.
For the Nigerian winners, attention will now turn to new releases, international performances, collaborations and other projects that could build on their latest recognition.
The broader significance of the ceremony, however, extends beyond individual trophies. It reflects the continued expansion of African music into global markets and the growing role of African artists in shaping international popular culture.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- AFRIMMA official 2026 winners list, which confirms the 41 award recipients and category results.
- Premium Times, reporting on Nigerian winners and honourees at the Dallas ceremony.
- TheCable Lifestyle, which reported ahead of the event that the 2026 AFRIMMA ceremony was scheduled for September 12 at Annette Strauss Square in Dallas.
