Nigerian superstars Burna Boy and Asake have emerged as the leading African nominees for the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), earning two nods each and cementing Nigeria’s continuing influence on the global music stage.
Hosted at UBS Arena, New York on September 7, the VMAs this year celebrate crossover achievements and genre-defining collaborations. Lady Gaga leads the pack with a staggering 12 nominations, followed closely by Bruno Mars (11) and Kendrick Lamar (10) .
Burna Boy received recognition in two categories:
Video for Good: “Higher” – a socially conscious track pushing boundaries
Best Afrobeats Video: “TaTaTa” featuring Travis Scott
Asake, on his part, secured dual nominations—both for the Best Afrobeats Video category:
“Active” featuring Travis Scott
“Get It Right” featuring Tems
Their nominations underscore how collaborations with international artists continue to elevate Nigerian music on global platforms.
Other prominent Nigerians picked up nods in Best Afrobeats:
Rema (“Baby (Is It a Crime)”)
Tems (f. Asake — “Get It Right”)
Wizkid (f. Brent Faiyaz — “Piece of My Heart”)
Moliy (with Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea — “Shake It to the Max (Fly) Remix”)
Tyla (“Push 2 Start”)
Meanwhile, Ayra Starr earned a nod for MTV PUSH Performance of the Year for “Last Heartbreak Song” .
Video of the Year contenders include: Kendrick Lamar (“Not Like Us”), Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (“Die with a Smile”), Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd & Playboi Carti, and Rosé & Bruno Mars .
Song of the Year features Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, Lorde, and more .
Artist of the Year nominees: Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Morgan Wallen among others .
New categories such as Best Pop Artist and Best Country make their debut this year, expanding genre inclusivity across the awards slate .
Best Collaboration nods include Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Post Malone & Blake Shelton, Rosé & Bruno Mars, and more .
Technical categories such as Best Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Choreography, and Visual Effects feature nominations for artists including Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish .
These categories underscore the rising cinematic creativity within music videos from global and African artists alike.
The presence of multiple Nigerian artists in major categories reflects the internationalization of Afrobeat and the strategic importance of collaborations with global stars like Travis Scott. With Asake and Burna Boy topping African contenders at the VMAs, Nigeria’s creative industry continues to gain international visibility and credibility.
“It’s a pivotal moment for creative exports. We’re not just competing—we’re shaping trends,” noted music analyst Chika Egbe. “These nominations validate Afrobeat’s global appeal” .
The 2025 VMAs will air live from UBS Arena, New York on Sunday, September 7 (8 p.m. ET), across CBS, MTV, and Paramount+. Fan voting is open through September 5 in 19 gender-neutral categories via vote.mtv.com and during Power Hour events on Instagram .