The 15th Headies Winners | See Full List

Nigerian singers, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Olamide, Patoranking, Ayra Starr, and Buju BNXN, were among the biggest winners at the 2022 edition of The Headies Awards in Atlanta, United States of America.

The Headies rolled out some of the awards during the live show with Wizkid leading with 4 wins while Patoranking won 2 awards. Other winners includes BNXN who won the Next Rated Award and Ayra Starr who won the Viewers Choice Award.

The Headies is the top Nigerian/Pan African awards show, celebrating the best in Afrobeats, African music and culture.

The awards, originally called the Hip Hop World Awards, was established in 2006 by the Hip Hop World Magazine of Nigeria to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry.

Wizkid, who was represented by his manager, Sunday Are, clinched four categories for ‘Made in Lagos’, his 2020 album, and ‘Essence’, his hit song with Tems.

Some of the categories won by Wizkid include ‘Best R&B single’, ‘Song of the Year’, ‘Best Collaboration’, and ‘Album of the Year’.

Patoranking also clinched the ‘Best Recording Of The Year’ as well as ‘Best Reggae & Dancehall Album’ categories.

Ayra Starr won the ‘Headies’ Viewer’s Choice’ category ahead of several heavyweights including Wizkid and Olamide while BNXN snagged the much-coveted ‘Next Rated’ gong.

The 15th edition of the award, titled ‘Join the Movement’, was hosted by Hollywood actor, Anthony Anderson and Nollywood actress, Osas Ighodoro, in the early hours of Monday at the Cobbs Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta.

Headies Award 2022 Winners

Rookie Of The Year

• Av
• Fave (Winner)
• Magixx
• Portable
• Ugoccie

Best Recording Of The Year

• Celebrate Me – Patoranking (Winner)
• Essence – Wizkid Ft Tems
• Jpy – Falana
• Loving Is Harder – Johnny Drille
• Meji Meji – Brymo
• Somebody’s Son – Tiwa Savage Ft Brandy

Producer Of The Year

• Beats By Jayy – “Golden” (A-Q)
• Blaise Beatz – “Sinner” (Adekunle Gold Feat. Lucky Daye)
• Niphkeys – “Feel Good” (Mohbad)
• P Priime – “Ozumba Mbadiwe” (
  • Reekado Banks)
  • Pheelz – “High” (Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido)
  • Sarz — ‘Monalisa’ (Lojay & Sarz) — (Winner)

  Best R&B single

  • “Baby Riddim” – Fave
  • “Beggie Beggie” – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay
  • “Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems (Winner)
  • “Running (To You)” – Chike Feat. Simi
  • “Promise” – Niniola
  • “Sinner” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Luck Daye

  Songwriter Of The Year

  • Adekunle Gold – “Sinner” — (Winner)
  • Ajebo Hustlers – “Loyalty”
  • Brymo – “Meji Meji”
  • Falana – “Joy”
  • Fireboy Dml – “Peru”
  • Omah Lay – “Understand”

  Best Alternative Song

  • “Doings” – Flavour (Winner)
  • “Free Your Mind” – Made Kuti
  • “Gonto” – Ibejii
  • “Hustle” – Basketmouth, The Cavemen, Bez, Dice Ailes
  • “Meji Meji” – Brymo
  • “Selense” – The Cavemen

  Best Vocal Performance (Female)

  • Ayra Starr – “Toxic”
  • Liya – “Alari”
  • Niniola – “6th Heaven”
  • Simi – “Running (To You)”
  • Tems – “Essence”
  • Waje – “Last Time” (Winner)

  Best Vocal Performance (Male)

  • Brymo – “Meji Meji”
  • Johnny Drille – “Loving Is Harder”
  • Oxlade – “Ojuju” (Winner)
  • Ric Hassani – “When I’m Gone”
  • Tay Iwar – “Peaking”

  Best Music Video

  • “Champion” – (
    • Fireboy Dml Feat. D Smoke) Directed By Tg Omori — (Winner)
    • “Ginger” – (Wizkid Feat. Burna Boy) Directed By Meji Alabi
    • “Roju” – (Chike) Directed By Pink
    • “Rain” – (Yemi Alade Feat. Mzansi Youth Choir) Directed By Ovie Etseyatse
    • “Bling” – (Blaqbonez Feat. Amaarae & Bnxn) Directed By Tg Omori
    • “Running” – (Ladipoe Feat. Fireboy Dml) Directed By Director K

    Best Collaboration

    • “Beggie Beggie” – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay
    • “Bling” – Blaqbonez Feat. Amaarae & Bnxn
    • “Early Momo” – Vector Feat. Goodgirl LA
    • “Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems — (Winner)
    • “Feeling” – Ladipoe Feat. Bnxn
    • “Running (To You)” – Chike Feat. Simi

    Best Street-Hop Artiste

    • Bella Shmurda – “Cash App” Feat. Zlatan & Lincoln
    • Rexxie & Mohbad – “Kpk”
    • Mohbad – “Feel Good”
    • Naira Marley – “Koleyewon”
    • Nektunez & Goya Menor – “Ameno Amapiano (Remix)” (Winner)
    • Poco Lee, Portable & Olamide – “Zazoo Zehh”

    Best Afrobeats Single Of The Year

    • “Bloody Samaritan” – Ayra Starr
    • “Bounce” – Ruger
    • “High” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido
    • “Monalisa” – Lojay & Sarz
    • “Ozumba Mbadiwe” – Reekado Banks
    • “Peru” – Fireboy DML — (Winner)

    Headies’ Viewer’s Choice

    • Ayra Starr – “Bloody Samaritan” — (Winner)
    • Fireboy – “Peru” ( @Fireboydml )
    • Joeboy – “Sip”
    • Lojay & Sarz – “Monalisa”
    • Nektunez & Goya Menor – “Ameno Amapiano (Remix)”
    • Olamide Feat. Omah Lay – “Infinity”
    • Rema – “Soundgasm”
    • Wizkid Feat. Tems – “Essence”

    Best West African Artiste Of The Year

    • Amaarae (Ghana)
    • Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
    • Aya Nakamura (Mali)
    • Gyakie (Ghana) (Winner)
    • Kidi (Ghana)
    • Nelson Freitas (Cape Verde)
  • Best East African Artiste Of The Year
    • Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania) (Winner)
    • Eddy Kenzo (Uganda)
    • Harmonize (Tanzania)
    • Meddy (Rwanda)
    • Nikita Kering (Kenya)
    • Zuchu (Tanzania)

    Best North African Artiste Of The Year

    • Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia)
    • Elgrandetoto (Morocco)
    • Latifa (Tunisia) (Winner)
    • Manal (Morocco)
    • Muhamad Ramadan (Egypt)
    • Soolking (Algeria)

    Best Southern African Artiste Of The Year

    • Black Coffee (South Africa)
    • Dj Tarico (Mozambique)
    • Elaine (South Africa)
    • Focalistic (South Africa) (Winner)
    • Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
    • Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)

    Best Afrobeats Album

    • “19 And Dangerous” – Ayra Starr
    • “A Better Time” – Davido
    • “Barnabas” – Kizz Daniel
    • “Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition)” – Wizkid (Winner)
    • “Kpos Lifestyle” – Ajebo Hustlers
    • “Wondaland” – Teni

    Best Reggae & Dancehall Album

    • “Gratitude” – Timaya
    • “Love Is War” – Prettyboy D-O
    • “Rainbow Riddim” – Shank
    • “Three” – Patoranking — (Winner)
    • “Yaadman Kingsize” – Yung L

    Best R&B Album

    • “Before We Fall Asleep” – Johnny Drille
    • “If Orange Was A Place” – Tems (Winner)
    • “Love Deep High Life” – Omawumi
    • “Rising” – Falana
    • “The Prince I Became” – Ric Hassani
    • “Water And Garri” – Tiwa Savage

    Best Alternative Album

    • “9: Esan” – Brymo
    • “Intermission” – Ibejii — (Winner)
    • “Legacy +” – Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
    • “Love And Highlife” – The Cavemen
    • “P.S. Thank You For Waiting” – Wavy The Creator
    • “Yabasi” – Basketmouth

    Best Rap Album

    • “Carpe Diem” – Olamide (Winner)
    • “Clone Wars Vol. 5 – The Algorhythm –
      • Show Dem Camp
      • “Golden” – A-Q
      • “Mafia Culture, Vol. 2.0” – Idowest
      • “Providence” – Ladipoe
      • “Sex Over Love” – Blaqbonez

      Album Of The Year

      • “9: Esan” – Brymo
      • “19 & Dangerous” – Ayra Starr
      • “Carpe Diem” – Olamide
      • “Legacy +” – Femi Kuti & Made Kuti
      • “Made In Lagos (Deluxe Edition)” – Wizkid — (Winner)
      • “Yabasi” – Basketmouth

      Song Of The Year

      • “Celebrate Me” – Patoranking
      • “Doings” – Flavour Feat. Phyno
      • “Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems — (Winner)
      • “High” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido
      • “Monalisa” – Lojay & Sarz
      • “Peru” – Fireboy Dml

      Best Female Artiste

      • Simi
      • Tems (Winner)
      • Tiwa Savage
      • Teni
      • Niniola

      Best Male Artiste

      • Adekunle Gold
      • Burna Boy (Winner)
      • Davido
      • Flavour
      • Olamide
      • Wizkid

      Next Rated

      • Ayra Starr
      • BNXN — (Winner)
      • Lojay
      • Ruger
      • Zinoleesky

      African Artiste Of The Year

      • Black Coffee (Nigeria)
      • Burna Boy (Nigeria) (Winner)
      • Davido (Nigeria)
      • Diamond Platinumz (Tanzania)
      • Soolking (Algeria)
      • Wizkid (Nigeria)
      • Aya Nakamura (Mali )
    • Lyricist On The Roll
      • A-Q – “The Last Cypher” — (Winner)
      • Blaqbonez – “The Last Cypher”
      • Jesse Jagz – “Vipers”
      • Ladipoe – “Providence”
      • Payper Corleone – “In Don We Trust”
      • Vector – “Crown Of Clay”

      Humanitarian Award Of The Year

      • 2face Idibia
      • Ruggedman
      • Davido (Winner)
      • Don Jazzy

      East Central African Artiste Of The Year

      • Calema (Sao Tome & Principe)
      • Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)
      • Dadju (Dr Congo)
      • Fally Ipupa (Dr Congo)
      • Innoss’b (Dr Congo) (Winner)
      • Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

      Best Rap Single

      • “Breathe” – A-Q Feat Chike
      • “Crown Of Clay” – Vector & Mi Abaga Feat. Pheelz
      • “Early Momo” – Vector Feat. Goodgirl LA
      • “Feeling” – Ladipoe Feat. BNXN (Winner)
      • “Tycoon” – Show Dem Camp – Feat. Reminisce & Mojo
      • “Loading” – Olamide Feat Bad Boy Timz

      Best Inspirational Single

      • ‘Cultural Praise’ — Kcee Feat. Okwesili Eze Group — Winner

      International Artiste Recognition:

      • Chris Brown (Winner)

      Hall of Fame

      • Angelique Kidjo

      Special Recognition

      • Dbanj (Talent) (Winner)

      International Artiste Special Recognition

      • Akon & Wycle Jean (Winners)

Special Recognition (Outstanding impact on the Entertainment Industry)

• Efe Omorogbe, Sunday Are, and Bose Ogbulu (Winners)

OFOFO recalls that the organizers of The Headies had earlier disqualified fast-rising Nigeran singer, Portable, who was nominated in the “Rookie of the Year” and the “Best Street-Hop Artiste” categories.