Nigerian artistes including Davido, Burna Boy, Wizkid and Ayra Starr failed to secure awards at the 68th Grammy Awards, held on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The ceremony, hosted by Trevor Noah for the sixth and final time, saw major wins for global stars across multiple categories, while nominees from Nigeria were edged out in competitive fields, including Best African Music Performance.
In the “big four” categories, Billie Eilish won Song of the Year for Wildflower, Kendrick Lamar and SZA claimed Record of the Year with Luther, while Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos secured Album of the Year. Olivia Dean emerged as Best New Artist.
In African music, South African singer Tyla won Best African Music Performance for Push 2 Start, beating nominations from Burna Boy (Love), Davido featuring Omah Lay (With You), and Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid (Gimme Dat).
Kendrick Lamar dominated the rap categories, winning Best Rap Album (GNX), Best Rap Song and Best Melodic Rap Performance, while Lady Gaga picked up awards in pop and dance categories, including Best Pop Vocal Album.
Despite the losses, Nigerian artistes remain among the most recognised African acts on the global stage, with multiple Grammy nominations in recent years reflecting their continued international impact.
