Shatta Wale, Moliy, Black Sheriff snubbed in 2025 Grammy nominations as Nigeria dominates

Ghana's music industry faces another disappointment as the country failed to secure any nominations in the Best African Music Performance category for the 2026 Grammy Awards, while Nigerian artists once again dominated the prestigious list.

As announced Fridayn Nomber, 7, 2025, by the academy, Lamar leads nominees for next year’s ceremony with nine nods in all, followed by Gaga and the producers Cirkut and Jack Antonoff, each of whom has seven nominations, and Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter and Leon Thomas, each of whom has six. Other top nominees include the rappers Doechii, Clipse and Tyler, the Creator as well as the producers Sounwave and Andrew Watt, the rock band Turnstile and the recording engineer Serban Ghenea.

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The announcement reveals a familiar pattern of Nigerian supremacy in the category, with four of the five nominations going to artists from Africa's most populous nation. The nominated tracks showcase the continued global influence of Afrobeats and Nigerian musical talent:

The 2026 Nominees for Best African Music Performance:

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Burna Boy - "Love You" Davido featuring Omah Lay - "With You" Ayra Starr featuring Wizkid - "Gimme Dat"Tyla - "Push 2 Start" Tyla - "Push 2 Start" Eddy Kenzo featuring Mehran Matin - "Hope & Love" (Uganda's representation)

For Ghana, this marks yet another year of absence from the category, raising questions about the country's music industry strategy and international visibility. Despite Ghana's rich musical heritage and talented artists, the nation has struggled to break through in this competitive Grammy category since its inception.

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The pattern suggests Nigerian artists have successfully captured international attention and Grammy voters' recognition, while other African music industries, including Ghana's, continue searching for the formula to compete on this global stage.

The 68th Grammys will take place Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Angeles.