Ferdinand Ekechukwu
Nigerian stars including Tems, Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Asake earned nominations at the 2026 BET Awards. The prestigious American awards show, established in 2001 by Black Entertainment Television, celebrates outstanding achievements by Black entertainers across music, sports, television, and film. The music stars appear across multiple categories as the 2026 nominations make their full impact.
Tems leads the Nigerian contingent at the 2026 BET Awards with three nominations — Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, BET Her Award for First, and Viewers’ Choice for Raindance with Dave. Wizkid and Asake are jointly nominated for Best Group, while Burna Boy earned a Best Collaboration nod for WGFT, his feature on Gunna’s hit single from the 2025 album “The Last Wun.”
Wizkid and Asake earned the recognition for their collaborative work, specifically their 2026 joint EP ‘REAL Vol. 1‘. Wizkid and Asake will compete against an elite lineup of American and British acts, including Clipse, FLO, De La Soul, Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon, Metro Boomin & DJ Spinz, French Montana & Max B, as well as Nas & DJ Premier.
South African star Tyla earned two nominations: Video of the Year and Viewers’ Choice for her track “Chanel.” Leading the overall nominations is Cardi B with six nods, followed by Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist with five each. Cardi B earns an Album of the Year nod for Am I The Drama? a Best Female Hip Hop Artist nomination, and appears in Best Collaboration for the ‘Errtime Remix.’
This year’s ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, June 28, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, with comedian Druski confirmed as host, making him the youngest person to take the role in the show’s history. The night promises to be a big one and the nominations reflect a music landscape where rap, R&B, and Afrobeats continue to collide.’
