Burna Boy, Tems Take Nigeria’s Music to Global Stage With Three MTV VMA Nominations
Nigerian music stars Burna Boy and Tems have earned three nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), further cementing the country’s growing influence on the international music scene. The MTV Video Music Awards, organised by American entertainment network Music Television (MTV), honour outstanding music videos, songs and performances by artists from around the world. This year’s ceremony is scheduled for September 27 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, received two nominations for his collaboration with Colombian singer Shakira on Dai Dai. The song is nominated in the Best Collaboration and Best Latin categories, while Tems secured a Best R&B nomination for Raindance, her collaboration with British rapper Dave.
The recognition comes in a significant year for African music at the VMAs, following the removal of the Best Afrobeats category after three consecutive editions. Rather than competing in a genre-specific category, Burna Boy and Tems will now contend in broader international fields, putting Nigerian music directly alongside leading artists from other parts of the world.
The 2026 nominations are led by Madonna with 11, followed by Taylor Swift with nine, while Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each received seven. For Burna Boy and Tems, the nominations represent another opportunity to carry Nigeria’s music beyond the Afrobeats label and strengthen its presence on one of the world’s biggest music award stages.
