The organisers of The Headies on Monday announced that the premier music awards will be leaving Nigeria again, unveiling Canada as the host of the 18th edition.
The Headies founder and HipTV CEO, Ayo Animashaun, officially announced the venue at “The Big Announcement” event at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos.
Although the exact date for the ceremony has yet to be unveiled, Animashaun confirmed that travel company Wakanow has partnered with the organisers to enhance the experience for attendees travelling from Nigeria to Canada.
Recall that the awards first left Nigeria in 2022 for its 15th edition in Atlanta but returned to Lagos for the 17th edition in 2025.
Speaking on the latest development, Animashaun said the decision to hold the 18th Headies in Toronto, Canada, was highly economical.
He explained that although the main ceremony will take place in Toronto, it will run simultaneously with a live watch party in Lagos, where Nigerian fans will participate in the celebration and witness portions of the awards presentation as the event unfolds abroad.
Animashaun said, “Someone said Ayo, you are taking the Headies out of the country again, he said it doesn’t make sense. Tell me what makes sense. Does it make sense for us not to do it anymore?”
He further stressed the need for The Headies to diversify its revenue streams in line with leading international award platforms.
“Most of the awards in the world that you see that are big, that you talk about, they have four or five sources of revenue. Here we have only one, everybody talks about sponsorship,” he said.
Drawing parallels with the Grammy Awards, he added, “They have state funding. During COVID, Grammy left Los Angeles and went to Madison Square in New York because LA was shut down.
“LA fought to bring Grammy back because it does something to their economy and it is part of their DNA. What events would you say are part of our DNA as Nigerians?”
The move signals a new direction for The Headies, which returned to Nigeria in 2024 after staging two consecutive editions in the United States.
The 15th and 16th editions of the awards were both held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Since its launch in 2006, The Headies has evolved into one of Africa’s most prestigious music award ceremonies, recognising outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry.
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