FULL LIST: African Artistes With the Most Grammy Wins as of 2026

African artistes and producers have steadily strengthened their presence at the Grammy Awards, evolving from occasional recognition in folk and global music categories to dedicated honours celebrating African sounds.

As of 2 February 2026, creatives from the continent have collectively earned more than 50 Grammy Awards, with South Africa emerging as the most decorated nation, followed by Nigeria, Benin, Mali and Senegal.

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From Miriam Makeba’s historic breakthrough in the 1960s to Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s landmark Lifetime Achievement honour in 2026, Africa’s Grammy journey reflects both remarkable progress and the long-standing challenge of underrepresentation in the ceremony’s top categories.

South African legend Miriam Makeba became the first African artist to win a Grammy Award in 1966. She received the honour for Best Folk Recording for An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba, a collaborative album with American singer Harry Belafonte. Widely known as “Mama Africa”, Makeba’s win marked a defining moment, formally introducing African music to the global Grammy stage.

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Beninese icon Angélique Kidjo holds the record as the most decorated African Grammy winner. She has secured five Grammy Awards, beginning with her 2008 win for Djin Djin in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category. With more than 14 nominations, Kidjo remains the most consistently recognised African artist in Grammy history.

The first Nigerian-born Grammy winner was Sade Adu, who won Best New Artist in 1986 as part of the band Sade. Although British-Nigerian, she is widely regarded as the earliest Nigerian-connected recipient of the award.

In the Afrobeats era, Burna Boy achieved a major milestone in 2021 by becoming the first Nigeria-based artist to win a competitive Grammy. He claimed Best Global Music Album for Twice as Tall, a victory widely seen as a turning point for Afrobeats’ global recognition.

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The introduction of the Best African Music Performance category in 2024 significantly expanded African representation at the Grammys.

2024: Tyla (South Africa) – Water

2025: Tems (Nigeria) – Love Me JeJe

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2026: Tyla (South Africa) – Push 2 Start

Tyla made history by becoming the first artiste to win the category twice, further cementing South Africa’s dominance in the newly established field.

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In 2026, the Recording Academy awarded Fela Anikulapo Kuti the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, making him the first African musician to receive the prestigious honour. The award was presented at the Special Merit Ceremony on 31 January and accepted by members of the Kuti family, recognising Fela’s enduring legacy as the pioneer of Afrobeat, a political activist and one of Africa’s most influential cultural figures.

Several African artistes and groups have also left a lasting mark on Grammy history, including:

Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa) – five Grammy wins across traditional and world music categories

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Black Coffee (South Africa) – Best Dance/Electronic Album (2022) for Subconsciously

Wizkid (Nigeria) – Best Music Video (2021) for Brown Skin Girl with Beyoncé

Tems (Nigeria) – Best Melodic Rap Performance (2022) for Wait For U with Future and Drake

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Youssou N’Dour (Senegal) – Best Contemporary World Music Album (2005)

Ali Farka Touré (Mali) – Best World Music Album (1994)

Oumou Sangaré (Mali) – Grammy winner in world music categories

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Tinariwen (Mali) – Best World Music Album (2012)

Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa) – multiple wins in choral and world music categories

Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode (South Africa) – Best Dance/Electronic Recording (2024) for Bayethe

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In addition to headline winners, African producers, songwriters and collaborators have increasingly earned Grammy recognition through shared credits, highlighting the growing global influence and integration of African music across genres.