Nigerian music is once again taking centre stage on the global awards scene, with Burna Boy and Tems earning nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.
The two Afrobeats stars secured three nominations between them, giving Nigerian music another major presence at one of the world’s biggest music awards shows.
Burna Boy picked up two nominations. His collaboration with Shakira, “Dai Dai,” earned a nod for Best Collaboration and Best Latin.
Tems also received recognition for her collaboration with British rapper Dave. Their song “Raindance” is nominated in the Best R&B category.
The nominations come at an interesting time for Afrobeats at the VMAs. The awards organisers have removed the Best Afrobeats category from this year’s lineup after featuring it in previous editions.
Despite the change, Burna Boy and Tems have still earned spots in major genre and collaboration categories.
Their nominations also highlight the growing reach of Nigerian artistes beyond traditional African music categories. Both singers have continued to work with major international artistes and build audiences around the world.
The 2026 MTV VMAs will take place on September 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+ in the United States.
Burna Boy and Tems will now join a long list of international stars competing for the coveted Moon Person trophies.
Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 11, followed by Taylor Swift with nine. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each earned seven nominations, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson received five apiece.
For Nigerian music fans, attention will now turn to September as Burna Boy and Tems look to turn their nominations into wins.
Their recognition further cements Nigeria’s growing influence on the international music stage.
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