Nigerian music stars Burna Boy and Tems have secured three nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, continuing Nigeria’s strong presence on the international music stage.
The nominations were announced on Tuesday ahead of the awards ceremony, scheduled for the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on September 27.
Burna Boy received two nominations for “Dai Dai”, his collaboration with Colombian singer Shakira and the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Grammy-winning Nigerian artiste is nominated in the Best Collaboration category alongside several international acts. The song also earned a nomination in the Best Latin category.
Tems, meanwhile, earned a nomination for Best R&B for “Raindance”, her collaboration with British rapper Dave.
The recognition adds to Tems’ growing list of international award nominations and further highlights the global reach of Nigerian music.
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Best Afrobeats Category Dropped
The nominations come as MTV has removed the Best Afrobeats category from this year’s awards.
The category was introduced in 2023, with Nigerian singer Rema winning the inaugural award alongside Selena Gomez for “Calm Down”. South African artiste Tyla won the category in 2024 and 2025.
Despite the removal of the dedicated category, Burna Boy and Tems secured nominations in broader international genres, maintaining Nigerian representation at the awards.
Madonna Leads Nominations
Pop icon Madonna leads the 2026 nominations with 11 nods, followed by Taylor Swift with nine.
Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven nominations, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson earned five apiece.
The 2026 MTV VMAs will be held in Los Angeles on September 27, with the ceremony set to be broadcast live.
