Burna Boy, Tems Earn 2026 MTV VMAs Nominations as Afrobeats Stars Target Global Wins

Nigerian music stars Burna Boy and Tems have secured nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), keeping Afrobeats firmly in the global spotlight ahead of the prestigious ceremony.

Burna Boy received two nominations for his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira on their hit song “Dai Dai”, while Tems earned a nomination for her joint track with British rapper Dave, “Raindance.”

The nominations were announced on Tuesday, with the 2026 MTV VMAs scheduled to take place on September 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai” will compete in the Best Collaboration category against major international acts including Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice, Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson.

The song also earned the Nigerian Grammy winner a nomination in the Best Latin category, where he will battle artists such as Bad Bunny, KAROL G, Rosalía and Anitta.

Tems, meanwhile, was recognised in the Best R&B category for “Raindance” with Dave. Their collaboration faces competition from songs by Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, and Mariah the Scientist with Kali Uchis.

The recognition adds another milestone to the growing international influence of Nigerian artists, although the 2026 VMAs will not feature the Best Afrobeats category that appeared in previous editions.

South African singer Tyla won the Best Afrobeats award in 2025 with “Push 2 Start”, defeating Nigerian nominees including Burna Boy, Wizkid, Rema, Tems and Asake.

The 2026 MTV VMAs will air live on CBS, with fans allowed to vote in most categories until September 25. Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 11 nods, followed by Taylor Swift with nine.