There is nothing more joyous than seeing your favourite artist receive an award they deserve. It is a moment that says their talent is valued, their hard work has been noticed, and the effort they put into their craft has not gone unseen. For artists, an award is more than just a trophy; it’s recognition for years of creating, performing, and experimenting.
Across Africa, music awards have become an important part of celebrating artists, their songs, albums and the sounds shaping the continent’s music landscape. From Nigeria and Ghana to South Africa and the wider continent, these ceremonies shine a light on different musical traditions, genres and generations of talent.
Some awards focus on the country where it was established, while others bring artists from different parts of Africa together. There are also newer platforms recognising the growing influence of African music around the world. Whether you tune in for the performances, the fashion, the speeches, the unexpected wins or the inevitable debates over who should have taken home the trophy, these seven African music awards are worth knowing if you are a music fan.
1. All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA)
If you have ever wished there were an awards show that could put the different corners of African music in one room, AFRIMA comes pretty close. The All Africa Music Awards was created in 2014 by the International Committee AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union to celebrate African musical talent across regions and help strengthen the continent’s creative industries. AFRIMA reminds us that African music is much bigger than the markets that dominate global headlines. At the award, you won’t just find some of the biggest names from Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana, but also from Francophone Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, North Africa and Lusophone Africa. For someone trying to discover music beyond the biggest Afrobeats and amapiano stars, AFRIMA is the right way.
2. The Headies
The Headies doesn’t need much introduction for Nigerian music fans, but if you are newer to the country’s music scene, The Headies’ history is worth knowing. The award began in 2006 as the Hip Hop World Awards, at a time when Nigerian hip-hop was a major force in the country’s pop music. As the industry evolved, so did the ceremony, eventually becoming The Headies and broadening its recognition across Nigeria’s diverse music scene. Think of The Headies as one of the awards shows that has grown alongside modern Nigerian music. One of its categories that fans love is Next Rated, which puts emerging artists on the spotlight. Winning it does not automatically guarantee a global career, of course, but being nominated can be a major signal that an artist is one to watch. The Headies has grown beyond its original setting. In 2022, the ceremony was held in Atlanta, marking its first edition outside Nigeria.
3. Telecel Ghana Music Awards
If Nigerian music has The Headies, Ghana has the Telecel Ghana Music Awards, formerly known as the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. The ceremony dates back to 1999 and has become one of the most important annual celebrations of Ghanaian music. Their categories have recognised genres including highlife, hiplife, gospel, hip-hop, Afrobeats, Afro-pop, reggae and dancehall, as well as traditional music. For music fans outside Ghana, the awards can be a useful way to discover incredible artists they may not have heard about before. Its most recent edition took place on May 9, 2026, at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre, with Black Sherif winning Artiste of the Year.
4. Soundcity MVP Awards
Powered by Soundcity TV, the award honours and recognises artists from different parts of Africa. It evolved from the Soundcity Video Music Awards and, from 2016, began recognising broader achievements across African music. Their categories include African Artiste of the Year, Best Male and Female MVP, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Hip-Hop, Viewers’s and Listeners’ Choice, African DJ of the Year, and Best New Artist. One thing we love about Soundcity MVP Awards is that it gives fans the opportunity to participate in the process of deciding winners by voting. The categories in which fans have a say include Viewers’ Choice and Listeners’ Choice. Past nominees and winners have included artists from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and other African countries.
5. Kora Awards
Kora is one of the oldest African music awards. Founded in 1994 by Beninese businessman Ernest Adjovi and named after the West African stringed instrument, the Kora Awards was created to bring Africa’s musicians together and celebrate talent from across the continent. The first ceremony took place in Johannesburg in 1996. The award offered artists from different African countries and musical traditions a stage that did not require them to first become stars somewhere else. The Kora Awards history includes appearances and wins by major African and international names, including Miriam Makeba, Angélique Kidjo, Femi Kuti, Youssou N’Dour, Koffi Olomidé, Papa Wemba and a host of others. Although the awards have had periods of inactivity, its place in African music history remains important.
6. Trace Awards
African music’s global moment created room for award shows like the Trace Awards, established by global music and entertainment network Trace. The awards launched in 2023 to celebrate African and Afro-inspired music and its growing worldwide influence. Their categories and nominations bring together sounds and artists from different African regions alongside the wider African diaspora. At Trace Award, African artists can share a stage with artists whose music has been shaped by African sounds from elsewhere in the world. The inaugural ceremony took place in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2023. The awards have since continued to position themselves as an international celebration of African music and culture.
7. South African Music Awards (SAMA)
If you want to understand why South Africa has such a big influence on African music, spend some time looking through the history of the South African Music Awards. The SAMAs have been celebrating South African music since 1995, making them one of the country’s most established music awards. What makes the awards particularly fascinating is the sheer variety of music they have had to accommodate. South Africa is home to musical traditions and genres, including jazz, gospel, hip-hop, kwaito, maskandi, gqom, house and amapiano. Each has its own audience, history and cultural significance. The SAMAs have evolved with that landscape. As new genres have grown, the awards have made room for them. Amapiano and gqom, for example, now have dedicated categories, reflecting just how important these sounds have become. So when you look at the SAMAs, you are not just looking at who won an award in a particular year. You are watching the country’s musical history unfold.
