Full List: Nigerians Dominate As Ayra Starr, Davido, Wizkid, Others Make 2026 MOBO Awards Nominations

Nigerian music stars Ayra Starr, Davido, Wizkid and Tiwa Savage have been nominated for the 2026 MOBO Awards, reinforcing Nigeria’s growing dominance on the global Black music scene.

The nominations were unveiled on Thursday, with organisers announcing contenders across 20 categories ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for March 26, 2026, at Co-op Live in Manchester.

This year’s event is historic, as it marks the first time the MOBO Awards will be hosted in Manchester and coincides with the organisation’s 30th anniversary.

Davido, Wizkid and Tiwa Savage earned nominations in the highly competitive Best African Music Act category, where they will slug it out with fellow Nigerians Ayra Starr, Rema, Shallipopi and Adekunle Gold.

Also nominated in the category are Ghana’s Moliy, Uganda’s Joshua Baraka and South Africa’s Tyla, highlighting the continued global rise and cross-border appeal of African music.

Ayra Starr emerged as one of the standout African acts on the shortlist, securing nominations in both the Best African Music Act and Best International Act categories.

In the Best International Act category, the ‘Rush’ singer will compete against global heavyweights including Cardi B, Kehlani, Gunna and Vybz Kartel. Tyla and Moliy also received nominations in both categories.

Ayra Starr has enjoyed notable success at the awards in recent years. At the 2025 edition, she made history by becoming the first woman in 16 years to win the Best African Music Act award, while also clinching the Best International Music Act title.

The MOBO Awards, regarded as Europe’s biggest celebration of Black music and culture, recognise outstanding talent and releases from September 1, 2024, to October 1, 2025.

Speaking on the nominations, MOBO founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kanya King CBE, said the 2026 shortlist reflects the strength, diversity and cultural influence of Black music globally.

“As MOBO enters its 30th year, this year’s nominees are a powerful reflection of the culture and moment we are living in. Their voices matter, not only in how they soundtrack our lives, but in how they shape the future,” King said.

She added that the nominations represent “one of the strongest and most diverse showcases of Black British music excellence in years,” while also underscoring the growing international reach of the awards.

Top Nominees And Wider Recognition

Naija News reports that leading the 2026 nominations are Little Simz, Olivia Dean, Kwn and Jim Legxacy, each of whom secured four nominations. Central Cee, Skepta, PinkPantheress and FLO followed closely with three nominations apiece across major categories.

Beyond music, the awards will also honour achievements in film, television and media. Nominees for Best Performance in a TV Show/Film include Cynthia Erivo for Wicked, Ashley Walters and Stephen Graham for Netflix’s Adolescence, and Nigerian-British actress Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners.

The awards ceremony will be preceded by the MOBO Fringe Festival, a week-long cultural programme organised in partnership with Manchester City Council.

The festival will feature live performances, industry panels and creative workshops. The hosts, performers and special honourees are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Full List Of 2026 MOBO Awards Nominees

BEST MALE ACT

CENTRAL CEE

ELMIENE

JIM LEGXACY

NEMZZZ

ODEAL

SKEPTA

BEST FEMALE ACT

FLO

KWN

LITTLE SIMZ

OLIVIA DEAN

PINKPANTHERESS

SASHA KEABLE

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

CENTRAL CEE – CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS

EZRA COLLECTIVE – DANCE, NO ONE’S WATCHING

FLO – ACCESS ALL AREAS

KOJEY RADICAL – DON’T LOOK DOWN

LITTLE SIMZ – LOTUS

OLIVIA DEAN – THE ART OF LOVING

SONG OF THE YEAR

AJ TRACEY FEAT. JORJA SMITH – ‘CRUSH’

DONAE’O FEAT. OMAR, LEMAR & HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR – ‘NIGHTS LIKE THIS’

FRED AGAIN, SKEPTA & PLAQUEBOYMAX – ‘VICTORY LAP’

JIM LEGXACY & DAVE – ‘3X’

KWN – ‘DO WHAT I SAY’

MYLES SMITH – ‘NICE TO MEET YOU’

OLIVIA DEAN – ‘MAN I NEED’

PINKPANTHERESS – ‘ILLEGAL’

RAYE – ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’

TIM DUZIT – ‘KAT SLATER’

BEST NEWCOMER

DC3

ESDEEKID

FINESSEKID

JIM LEGXACY

KWN

NAMESBLISS

NIA SMITH

SEKOU

SKYE NEWMAN

YT

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

POZER – ‘SHANGHIGH NOON’ (DIRECTED BY BAS HASELAGER)

FKA TWIGS – ‘EUSEXUA’ (DIRECTED BY JORDAN HEMINGWAY)

JIM LEGXACY – ‘FATHER’ (DIRECTED BY LAUZZA)

LITTLE SIMZ – ‘FLOOD’ FEAT. OBONGJAYAR & MOONCHILD SANELLY (DIRECTED BY SALOMON LIGTHELM)

RAYE – ‘WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!’ (DIRECTED BY THE REIDS)

SKEPTA & FRED AGAIN – ‘BACK 2 BACK’ (DIRECTED BY DOMAMANIC and SKEPTA)

BEST R&B/SOUL ACT

ELMIENE

FLO

KWN

ODEAL

OLIVIA DEAN

SASHA KEABLE

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ACT

ALT BLK ERA

BLOOD ORANGE

HAK BAKER

MICHAEL KIWANUKA

NOVA TWINS

RACHEL CHINOURIRI

BEST GRIME ACT

CHIP

JAYAHADADREAM

KASST 8

RUFF SQWAD

SCORCHER

WILEY

BEST HIP HOP ACT

AITCH

ASCO

CATCH

CENTRAL CEE

D-BLOCK EUROPE

KOJEY RADICAL

LITTLE SIMZ

LOYLE CARNER

WRETCH 32

YOUNGS TEFLON

BEST DRILL ACT

36

BOOTER BEE

CHY CARTIER

ESDEEKID

K-TRAP

LEOSTAYTRILL

NEMZZZ

POZER

TWIN S

WOHDEE

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT

AYRA STARR

CARDI B

CLIPSE

GUNNA

KEHLANI

LEON THOMAS

MARIAH THE SCIENTIST

MOLIY

TYLA

VYBZ KARTEL

BEST MEDIA PERSONALITY

BEMI OROJUOGUN (BUS AUNTY)

DJ AG

IN MY OPINION

MELISSA HOLDBROOK-AKPOSOE (MELISSA’S WARDROBE)

NADIA JAE

NIKO OMILANA

PK HUMBLE

REMI BURGZ

UCHE NATORI

WINNERS TALKING

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TV SHOW/FILM

AARON PIERRE – MUFASA: THE LION KING

ASHLEY THOMAS – HOSTAGE

ASHLEY WALTERS – ADOLESCENCE

CYNTHIA ERIVO – WICKED

DAMSON IDRIS – F1

DAYO KOLEOSHO – EASTENDERS

LENNIE JAMES – MR LOVERMAN

MARIANNE JEAN-BAPTISTE – HARD TRUTHS

STEPHEN GRAHAM – ADOLESCENCE

WUNMI MOSAKU – SINNERS

BEST AFRICAN MUSIC ACT

ADEKUNLE GOLD (NIGERIA)

AYRA STARR (NIGERIA)

DAVIDO (NIGERIA)

JOSHUA BARAKA (UGANDA)

MOLIY (GHANA)

REMA (NIGERIA)

SHALLIPOPI (NIGERIA)

TIWA SAVAGE (NIGERIA)

TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA)

WIZKID (NIGERIA)

BEST CARIBBEAN MUSIC ACT

AYETIAN

LILA IKÉ

MASICKA

SHENSEEA

VYBZ KARTEL

YUNG BREDDA

BEST JAZZ ACT

CKTRL

EGO ELLA MAY

EZRA COLLECTIVE

KOKOROKO

NUBYA GARCIA

YAZMIN LACEY

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ACT

FKA TWIGS

JAZZY

KILIMANJARO

PINKPANTHERESS

SALUTE

SHERELLE

BEST GOSPEL ACT
ANNATORIA

DC3

FAITH CHILD

IMRHAN

SONDAE

STILL SHADEY

BEST PRODUCER

INFLO

JAE5

MILES CLINTON JAMES

P2J

SAMMY SOSO

ZACH NAHOME