Nigerian music continues its steady rise on the global stage, with several artistes clinching Grammy Awards and reshaping international recognition of African sounds. The latest milestone is the posthumous honour to Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards—making him the first African musician to earn the prestigious recognition.
Fela’s honour underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in global music and reflects the impact of African creativity on the world stage, a development that has also led to the introduction of the Best African Music Performance category at the Grammys.
Over the years, a number of Nigerian and Nigerian-descended artistes have etched their names into Grammy history:
Sade Adu (4 Awards):
The British-Nigerian singer won her first Grammy in 1986 for Best New Artist. Renowned for classics such as No Ordinary Love and Soldier of Love, Sade has earned multiple honours, including Best R&B Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album in 2002.
Seal (4 Awards):
Nigerian-British singer Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, popularly known as Seal, won four Grammys, including Record of the Year in 1996 for the hit single Kiss from a Rose.
Tems (2 Awards):
Nigerian singer Tems made history by winning Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2023 for her feature on Wait for U, and Best African Music Performance in 2025 for Love Me Jeje, becoming the first Nigerian artiste with multiple Grammy wins.
Sikiru Adepoju (1 Award):
The Nigerian percussionist won Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2009 for Global Drum Project.
Burna Boy (1 Award):
Afrobeats star Burna Boy won Best Global Music Album in 2021 for Twice as Tall.
Wizkid (1 Award):
Wizkid earned a Grammy for Best Music Video for Brown Skin Girl, his collaboration with Beyoncé.
Babatunde Olatunji (1 Award):
The late Nigerian drummer won Best World Music Album in 1991 for Planet Drum.
Chamillionaire (1 Award):
Hakeem Temidayo Seriki, known as Chamillionaire, an American rapper of Nigerian descent, won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2007 for Ridin’.
Collectively, these achievements highlight Nigeria’s expanding footprint in the global music industry. With African sounds gaining wider acceptance and new categories recognising the continent’s artistry, expectations remain high that more Nigerian artistes will join the Grammy winners’ circle in the years ahead.