Complete List of Nigerians Who Have Won or Been Nominated for the Grammys

 

In modern music, the Grammy Award is regarded as one of the highest honors an artist can achieve. Over its 65-year history, the American award show has established itself as one of the most prestigious recognitions for musicians.

With the global recognition of Afrobeats, Nigerian artists such as Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy have received multiple Grammy nominations. In 2023, the Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, introduced a new category — Best African Music Performance — leading to even more Nigerian artists earning nominations.

As we gear up for the 2025 Grammy Awards this weekend, here’s a complete list of all Nigerians and individuals of Nigerian descent who have won or have ever been nominated for a Grammy.

Grammy Fact: An artist only earns a nomination for their contribution to an album when that album is nominated for ‘Album of the Year.’

Nigerians who have won Grammys

1. Seal

Total wins: 4

Category and Year:

1. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (1996) — “Kiss From A Rose”
2. Song of the Year (1996) — “Kiss From A Rose”
3. Record of the Year (1996) — “Kiss From A Rose”
4. Pop Collaboration With Vocals (2011) — “Imagine”

Grammy fact: Seal, born Olusegun Adeola, is tied with Sade Adu for the most Grammy wins for a musician of Nigerian descent.

2. Sade Adu

Total wins: 4

Category and Year:

1. Best New Artist (1986)
2. Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (1994) — “No Ordinary Love” with her namesake band, Sade
3. Best Pop Vocal Album (2002) — Lovers Rock
4. Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (2011) — “Soldier Of Love” with Sade

Grammy fact: Sade Adu is the first Grammy-winning singer of Nigerian descent, and the only one to win the coveted ‘Best New Artist.’

3. Kevin Olusola (of Pentatonix)

Total wins: 3

Category and Year:

1. Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella (2015) — “Daft Punk” with Pentatonix
2. Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella (2016) — “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy” with Pentatonix
3. Best Country Duo/Group Performance (2017) — “Jolene” with Pentatonix and Dolly Parton

Grammy fact: Kevin [Oluwole] Olusola won his first three Grammy awards the first three times he was nominated with the group, Pentatonix.

4. Chamillionaire

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (2007) — “Ridin’”

Grammy fact: Chamillionaire, born Hakeem Temidayo Seriki, almost didn’t add the Grammy-winning  “Ridin” to the album, The Sound of Revenge. It was added last minute.

5. Sikiru Adepoju

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Contemporary World Music Album (2008) — Global Drum Project

Grammy Fact: Sikiru Adepoju won his Grammy award with Mickey Hart, the co-founder of Planet Drum and Global Drum Project percussionist groups.

6. Cynthia Erivo

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Media Theatre Album (2017) — The Color Purple

 Grammy Fact: This is Cynthia [Chinasaokwu] Erivo’s first Grammy nomination and win. Her performance in The Color Purple also earned her a Tony and an Emmy.

7. Burna Boy

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Music Album (2020) — Twice As Tall

Grammy Fact: Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, won his first Grammy after his second nomination in the Best Global Music Album category. 

8. Wizkid

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Music Video (2021) — “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé

Grammy Fact: Of the 6 featured Nigerian artists, Wizkid, born Ayodeji Balogun, was the only one who won a Grammy for his work on Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift album.

9. Jenn Nkiru

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Music Video (2021) — “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé

Grammy Fact: Jenn Nkiru directed the “Brown Skin Girl” music video.

10. Tems

Total wins: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Melodic Rap Performance (2023) — “Wait For You” with Future

Grammy Fact: The Billboard-topping hit sampled a song of the same title by Tems, born Temilade Openiyi. It was also nominated in the ‘Best Rap Song’ category.

Nigerians who have been nominated for a Grammy

1. Seal

Total nominations: 15

Category and Year:

1. Best New Artist (1992)
2. Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male (1992)
3. Best Pop Album (1995) — Seal
4. Album of the Year (1995) — Seal
5. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (1995) — “Prayer For The Dying”
6. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (1996) — “Kiss From A Rose”
7. Song of the Year (1996) — “Kiss From A Rose”
8. Record of the Year (1996) — “Kiss From A Rose”
9. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (1998) — “Fly Like An Eagle”
10.  Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (2005) — “Love’s Divine”
11.  Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (2006) — “Walk On By”
12.  Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (2008) — “Amazing”
13.  Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (2010) — “If You Don’t Me By Now”
14.  Pop Collaboration With Vocals (2011) — “Imagine”
15.  Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2019) — Standards (Deluxe)

Grammy Fact: Seal, born Olusegun Adeola, has been nominated at least four times each in the 1990s and the 2000s.

2. Burna Boy

Total nominations: 11

Category and Year:

1. Best World Music Album (2019) — African Giant
2. Best Global Music Album (2020) — Twice As Tall
3. Best Global Music Performance (2022) — “Do Better” with Angelique Kidjo
4. Album of the Year (2022) — Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) with Justin Bieber
5. Best Global Music Album (2023) — Love, Damini
6. Best Global Music Performance (2023) — “Last Last”
7. Best Melodic Rap Performance (2024) — “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
8. Best Global Music Album (2024) — I Told Them…
9. Best Global Music Performance (2024) — “Alone”
10.  Best African Music Performance (2024) — “City Boys”
11.  Best African Music Performance (2025) — “Higher“

Grammy Fact: Burna Boy, born Damini Ogulu, has been nominated for a Grammy every year since 2022.

3. Sade Adu

Total nominations: 8

Category and Year:

1. Best New Artist (1986)
2. Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals (1987) — Promise with Sade
3. Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (1994) — “No Ordinary Love” with her namesake band, Sade
4. Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (1995) — “Please Send Me Someone To Love” with Sade
5. Best Pop Vocal Album (2002) — Lovers Rock
6. Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (2011) — “Soldier Of Love” with Sade
7. Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals (2011) — “Babyfather” with Sade
8. Best Long Form Music Video (2013) — “Bring Me Home” – Live 2011 with Sade

Grammy Fact: All of Sade Adu’s Grammy awards have been won alongside her namesake band, Sade.

4. Tems

Total nominations: 8

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Music Performance (2021) — “Essence” with Wizkid
2. Album of the Year (2023) — RENAISSANCE with Beyoncé
3. Best Rap Song (2023) — “Wait For You”
4. Best Melodic Rap Performance (2023) — “Wait For You”
5. Best Song Written for Visual Media (2024) — “Lift Me Up” with Rihanna
6. Best African Music Performance (2025) — “Love Me Jeje”
7. Best R&B Song (2025) — “Burning”
8. Best Global Music Album — Born In The Wild

Grammy Fact: Tems, born Temilade Openiyi, was the most nominated Nigerian at the 2023 Grammy Awards show. She had three.

5. Femi Kuti

Total nominations: 6

Category and Year:

1. Best World Music Album (2003) — Fight To Win
2. Best Contemporary World Music Album (2008) — Day By Day
3. Best World Music Album (2012) — Africa For Africa
4. Best World Music Album (2014) — No Place For My Dream
5. Best Global Music Performance (2022) — “Pà Pá Pà”
6. Best Global Music Album (2022) — Legacy + with Made Kuti

Grammy Fact: Femi Kuti is the most nominated Nigerian without a win.

6. Tyler, The Creator

Total nominations: 5

Category and Year:

1. Album of the Year (2013) — channel ORANGE with Frank Ocean
2. Best Rap Album (2018) — Flower Boy
3. Best Rap Album (2020) — Igor
4. Best Rap Album (2022) — Call Me If You Get Lost
5. Best Melodic Rap Performance (2022) — “Wusyaname”

Grammy Fact: Tyler, The Creator, born Gregory Okonma, is the first openly queer Nigerian to be nominated for a Grammy.

7. Kevin Olusola

Total nominations: 5

Category and Year:

1. Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella (2015) — “Daft Punk” with Pentatonix
2. Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella (2016) — “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy” with Pentatonix
3. Best Country Duo/Group Performance (2017) — “Jolene” with Pentatonix and Dolly Parton
4. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2023) — Evergreen
5. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (2024) — Holidays Around The World

Grammy Fact: Kevin [Oluwole] Olusola is also a rapper, producer, cellist, and beatboxer for music group Pentatonix.

8. Wizkid

Total nominations: 5

Category and Year:

1. Album of the Year (2017) — Views with Drake
2. Best Music Video (2021) — “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé
3. Best Global Music Performance (2022) — “Essence” 
4. Best Global Music Album (2022) — Made In Lagos: Deluxe Edition
5. Best African Music Performance (2025) — “MMS” with Asake

Grammy Fact: Made In Lagos by Wizkid, born Ayodeji Balogun, is regarded as one of the most successful African music albums.

9. Shaboozey

Total nominations: 5

Category and Year:

1. Best Country Song (2025) — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
2. Best Melodic Rap Performance (2025) — “SPAGHETTI” with Beyoncé
3. Best Song of the Year (2025) — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
4. Best Country Solo Performance (2025) — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
5. Best New Artist (2025) — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

Grammy Fact: Shaboozey, born Obinna Chibueze, earned an impressive five nominations in his breakout year, mostly due to his record-setting hit.

10. Davido

Total nominations: 4

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Album (2024) — Timeless
2. Best African Music Performance (2024) — “UNAVAILABLE”
3. Best Global Music Performance (2024) — “Feel”
4. Best African Music Performance (2025) — “Sensational” with Chris Brown

Grammy Fact: Davido, born David Adeleke, had his first recognition at the Grammys came with three nominations in 2024. He didn’t win, but he’s a 2025 nominee, thanks to Breezy’s “Sensational”.

11. King Sunny Ade

Total nominations: 2

Category and Year:

1. Best Ethnic Or Traditional Folk Recording (1984) — Syncro System
2. Best World Music Album (1999) — Odu

Grammy Fact: The Juju music maestro is the first Nigerian to bag a Grammy nomination. Although KSA, born Adeniyi Adegeye, won none, he created a path for more Nigerian artists to come. Also the Best Ethnic Or Traditional Folk Recording category he was nominated for in 1984 has been split into what’s known as Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Contemporary Folk Album.

12. Babatunde Olatunji

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best World Music Album (1998) — Love Drum Talk

Grammy Fact: In 1998, at age 70, Babatunde Olatunji bagged first nomination at the Grammys with his thirteenth album titled “Love Drum Talk”. He died in 2003.

13. Chamillionaire

Total nominations: 2

Category and Year:

1. Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (2007) — “Ridin’”
2. Best Rap Song (2007) — “Ridin’”

Grammy Fact: This is Chamillionaire’s (Hakeem Temidayo Seriki) only Grammy-nominated song.

14. Jidenna

Total nominations: 2

Category and Year:

1. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (2016) — “Classic Man”
2. Album of the Year (2022) — Planet Her (Deluxe) with Doja Cat

Grammy Facts: Jidenna’s first Grammy nomination was for his breakout, and so far only mainstream hit, “Classic Man”.

15. Cynthia Erivo

Total nominations: 2

Category and Year:

1. Best Media Theatre Album (2017) — The Color Purple
2. Best Song Written for Visual Media (2021) — “Standup” [From Harriet]

Grammy Fact: The Nigerian-British actress and singer, born Cynthia Chinasaokwu Erivo, has been booked to perform at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

16. Blessing Offor

Total nominations: 2

Category and Year:

1. Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song (2024) — “Believe”
2. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album (2024) — My Tribe

Grammy Fact: Blessing Offor got two Grammy nominations off his third studio album.

17. Asake

Total nominations: 2

Category and Year:

1. Best African Music Performance (2024) — “Amapiano” with Olamide 
2. Best African Music Performance (2025) — “MMS” with Wizkid

Grammy Fact: Asake, born Ahmed Lolade, has been nominated for collaborations in the same category two years in a row.

18. Sikiru Adepoju

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Contemporary World Music Album (2008) — Global Drum Project

Grammy Fact: Sikiru Adepoju contributed to this project as a percussionist.

19. Wale

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Rap Song (2013) — “Lotus Flower Bomb”

Grammy Fact: Wale, born Olubowale Akintimehin, earned his first Grammy nomination with a song off his An Album About Nothing album.

20. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Album of the Year (2015) — Beyoncé with Beyoncé

Grammy Fact: The Nigerian writer’s popular “We Should All Be Feminists” speech was sampled on Beyoncé’s “Flawless.”

21. Kah-Lo

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Dance Recording (2017) — “Rinse & Repeat” with DJ Riton

Grammy Fact: She, born Faridah Demola Seriki, and Wizkid were the only Nigerians nominated at the 2017 Grammys.

22. Tunji Ige

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best R&B Song (2018) — “Location” with Khalid

Grammy Fact: Tunji, born Olatunji Ige, was the only Nigerian nominated at the Grammys in 2018.

23. Seun Kuti (and the Egypt 80)

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best World Music Album (2019) — Black Times

Grammy Fact: This is Seun Kuti’s fifth album co-created with his Egypt 80 band, the band he inherited from his father, Fela Kuti.

24. Chika

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best New Artist (2021) — Industry Games

Grammy Fact: Chika, born Chika Oranika, earned a Grammy nomination off the strength of her debut album, Industry Games.

25. Jenn Nkiru

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Music Video (2021) — “Brown Skin Girl” with Beyoncé

Grammy Fact: She also directed Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s “Apeshit” music video.

25. Made Kuti

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Music Album (2022) — Legacy + with Femi Kuti

Grammy Fact: This album is Made Kuti’s collaborative effort with his father Femi Kuti. He joins the rich music heritage of the Kuti family.

27. Tobe Nwigwe

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best New Artist (2023) — moMINTS

Grammy Fact: Tobe Nwigwe snagged a Grammy nomination with his eleventh album.

28. Olamide

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best African Music Performance (2024) — “Amapiano” with Asake

Grammy Fact: This song is Olamide, born Olamide Adedeji, and Asake’s only collaboration on Asake’s Work of Art album.

29. Ayra Starr

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Music Performance (2024) — “Rush”

Grammy Fact: Ayra Starr, born Oyinkansola Aderibigbe, was first nominated for a Grammy in 2024. 

30. Yemi Alade

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Music Performance (2025) — “Tomorrow”

Grammy Fact: This is [Yemi Eberechi] Alade’s first Grammy nomination.

31. Rema

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Global Music Album (2025) — HEIS

Grammy Fact: This is his first Grammy nomination. Rema, born Divine Ikubor, was predicted to earn his first nomination a year earlier for his record-breaking hit, “Calm Down”.

32. Jordan Adetunji

Total nominations: 1

Category and Year:

1. Best Melodic Rap (2025) — “KEHLANI”

Grammy Fact: Jordan Adetunji is the youngest Nigerian nominated for Grammy in 2025.