Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that its transmission infrastructure has a total capacity of 54,995 megawatts (MW) across 333 transmission lines throughout the country.

Engineer Godwin Aguiyi, General Manager of Operations at TCN, highlighted that the company’s transmission network spans approximately 17,636 kilometres nationwide, emphasising the significance of its operations within the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

Aguiyi explained that TCN’s operational structure currently consists of 10 regions, 31 sub-regions across 10 work centres, and is supported by nearly 960 staff members nationwide.

The company’s responsibilities include managing switching operations, monitoring the network and equipment, controlling the system, managing outages, coordinating maintenance, and issuing permits for planned outages and related activities.

He noted that while transmission plays a crucial role in the electricity value chain, it remains ineffective if its benefits are not experienced by consumers.

He stated: ‘The backbone of the electricity network is the prerequisite for every other function. You can generate all the power you can generate, but if it doesn’t reach the end consumer, it has no impact.’

The general manager also mentioned that the unbundling of the company, which led to the establishment of the Nigeria Independent System Operator (NISO), has enabled TCN to preserve its operational structure and protect its transmission assets.

Meanwhile, NISO operates as a neutral regulator and grid controller within the generation, transmission, and distribution sectors.

He emphasised the need for increased responsibility, better system management, and continuous investment in the transmission network.

Real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist, Hon. Armstrong ‘Tope Akintunde, has been honoured with the ‘Icon of Humanity’ award for his contributions to youth development and humanitarian service.

Akintunde, the Chief Executive Officer of Aerofield Homes Limited, received the award during the 2026 International Youth Day celebration organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ogun State Chapter.

The event was held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, on Thursday, August 27, 2026, under the global theme, ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.’

The celebration brought together youth leaders, government officials and other stakeholders. It also featured the inauguration of 2,360 ward executives across Ogun State as part of a grassroots youth leadership structure.

Akintunde was recognised for his longstanding interventions in youth development and community service across Ogun State and beyond.

His humanitarian initiatives include scholarship programmes for indigent students, support for young entrepreneurs and community development projects.

Speaking at the event, Ogun State NYCN Chairman, Olóyè Akolawole Shoremi, commended Akintunde for his commitment to empowering young people.

Shoremi said Akintunde had consistently used his platforms to mentor youths, promote political inclusion and encourage young people to stay away from societal vices.

He also cited Akintunde’s role as the Convener of the Yayi Progressives Movement (YPM) as part of his efforts to engage and support young people.

Accepting the award, Akintunde thanked the youth leadership and young people in Ogun State for recognising his contributions.

He urged Nigerian youths to remain disciplined, determined and committed to pursuing excellence.

‘The Nigeria and Ogun State of our dreams can not be built on shortcuts or violence. It can only be achieved through determination, responsible leadership, and our collective effort,’ Akintunde stated.

The 2026 International Youth Day celebration ended with the presentation of the award and recognition of other contributions to youth development in Ogun State.

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has officially opened its recruitment portal for candidates who participated in the physical and medical screening exercise for the 2024/2025 recruitment into four federal security agencies to check whether they have been shortlisted for the oral interview stage.

The portal became available on Monday, August 31, 2026, in line with the Board’s latest recruitment schedule.

The ongoing exercise covers recruitment into the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Fire Service (FFS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Candidates who applied under the Graduate Category are required to visit the official CDCFIB recruitment portal between Monday, August 31, and Wednesday, September 2, 2026, to check their shortlist status.

Those who applied with NCE, OND, or SSCE qualifications will have access to the portal to check their status from Monday, September 7, to Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Candidates who are shortlisted for the oral interview are expected to select an interview venue closest to them, along with a suitable interview date and time. They will then be required to print their invitation letters.

The Board also directed shortlisted candidates to follow the dress code specified in their invitation letters, noting that only applicants shortlisted for the final stage will be allowed into the interview venues.

In a notice signed by A M Jibril, Maj. Gen. (Rtd), Secretary to the Board, the CDCFIB warned applicants not to depend on email notifications for updates on the recruitment exercise.

Sylva, a founding member of the APC, announced his resignation in a letter dated August 31, 2026, addressed to the APC Chairman of Ward 4 in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

He said he made the decision after consulting his family, associates, colleagues and sympathisers.

Sylva also criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying it had disappointed most Nigerians and expressing confidence that voters would seek a change in the 2027 general elections.

In the letter, which was electronically delivered, Sylva said he could no longer remain in a party whose leaders appeared to believe that ‘all is fair in politics.’

He wrote, ‘Having consulted widely with my family, associates, colleagues and sympathisers, I wish to formally tender my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), with immediate effect.

‘As a founding member of the APC, and one who joined other well-meaning Nigerians in building the party with sweat and money, it is deeply saddening to witness how the ideals we espoused have been so thoroughly and unrecognisably thwarted.

‘Moreover, I cannot, in all good conscience, continue to belong to a party whose leaders believe that ‘all is fair in politics;’ and have consistently demonstrated that belief in practice.

‘All cannot be fair in any endeavour of life. The demands of basic decency and morality forbid it. Unfortunately, this mentality appears to underpin virtually every action, and even inaction, of this administration.’

The former governor said the APC-led government had failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians, adding that he saw no realistic effort to change its direction.

‘The present Government, formed under the banner of the APC we once loved, has disappointed the vast majority of Nigerians. And I can see neither a credible attempt nor any possibility of a revamp,’ he said.

Sylva said he had therefore decided to leave the party rather than remain part of what he described as a ‘floundering ship.’

‘I am therefore left with no other choice than to jettison a floundering ship whose fate appears to have been sealed by its irredeemable load of iniquities. I have no doubt that, in the coming election, Nigerians will vote for Nigeria and free the Country from this stranglehold on our beautiful country,’ he stated.

Sylva also explained why he copied the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in his resignation letter.

He said he knew the decision could lead to increased scrutiny of him and his associates but was prepared to face the consequences.

‘I am fully aware that this action of mine may invite a redoubled witch-hunt against me and my associates, but that is a risk I am willing to take,’ he said.

Copies of the resignation letter were also sent to the National Chairman of the APC, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC and the APC Chairman in Bayelsa State.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed the Presidency’s claim that a petrol subsidy to support a pump price of about ?600 per litre under Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s proposal would cost Nigeria approximately ?19.1 trillion annually, describing it as a ‘phantom figure’ and ‘arithmetic vandalism.’

Reacting on Monday through its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the Presidency was attacking a model it created for itself rather than Atiku’s actual plan.

‘We are at a loss as to how the presidency conjured up this phantom figure. But we do not agree with it.

‘In trying to discredit Atiku’s proposal as unrealistic, the president’s men fail to address its fundamental principle, which is that Nigerians cannot afford the cost of unsubsidised fuel. That is classic straw man argument, the presidency attacking the model it created by itself, and passing it off as an attack on the opponent’s position.’

‘Prove the ?19.1 trillion claim’

The ADC said the Presidency’s own spokesman admitted the calculation was based on assumptions of $80 crude and a $40-per-barrel subsidy differential that were not independently verified.

‘The ADC does not concede that implementing the AERP would cost ?19.1 trillion annually, because it does not. And nothing they have said so far suggests they have a proof for concluding that it does. Instead, what we see is fiscal scare-mongering,’ the statement said.

The party explained that the proposal of its presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not a return to the old import-subsidy regime.

‘[It is a] complete step-change that moves subsidy away from imported finished petroleum products toward domestic production through a controlled crude-feedstock incentive for local refineries, based on a benchmark-and-ceiling principle.

‘Atiku subsidy changes the object of intervention. It proposes a subsidy for production input – domestic crude feedstock supplied to qualifying Nigerian refineries within Nigeria,’ Abdullahi stated.

He contrasted the old model of importing and subsidising products with the ADC model: ‘Nigerian crude ? Nigerian refinery ? Nigerian petroleum products ? Nigerian consumption ? surplus regional exports.’

‘Account for your own multi-trillion spending’

The ADC challenged the government to explain petroleum-related expenditures already reported under the current administration instead of inventing figures for the opposition.

‘NNPC’s audited 2024 accounts recorded approximately ?7.13 trillion under Energy Security… bringing the broader petroleum-related exposure reported in the accounts to roughly ?17.5 trillion,’ the party noted.

‘The question is: what does the government’s multi -trillion naira petroleum intervention mean and why has it the huge expenditure not subjected to any fiscal and value -for-money scrutiny?’

The ADC also cited the government’s Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order 2026, which provides production tax credits of up to $11.50 per barrel.

‘If Nigeria can provide a production-linked fiscal incentive of up to $11.50 per barrel to stimulate offshore oil production, why is a carefully controlled crude-input incentive for domestic refineries dismissed as economic madness when its objective is to make fuel cheaper for Nigerians?’ the statement asked.

The party further referenced the Nigeria Customs Service report of approximately ?34 trillion in Import Duty Exemption Certificates, saying it shows government itself recognizes that foregoing revenue can be justified for national objectives.

‘Where are the FX savings and multiplier?’

Abdullahi said the Presidency’s N19.1 trillion figure ignores the foreign-exchange and industrial benefits of domestic refining.

‘Every petroleum product Nigeria does not import is foreign exchange Nigeria does not need to spend on that import. Every barrel refined domestically retains more value within the Nigerian economy,’ he said.

‘For decades, the absurdity has been: export crude ? import refined products ? spend scarce foreign exchange ? transmit the cost into the Nigerian economy.

The Atiku plan seeks to reverse that: produce crude ? refine domestically ? consume domestically ? industrialise ? export surplus products ? earn foreign exchange.’

The ADC added that cheaper energy impacts the entire economy, from food distribution to manufacturing, and that ‘doing nothing is not free. It is ultimately more expensive.’

‘This is not the old subsidy’

The party said the Atiku plan proposes a capped, audited and traceable intervention with benchmark pricing, verified refinery capacity, digital tracking and domestic-supply obligations.

‘The question under the old subsidy system was: ‘How many litres did you import?’ The question under the Atiku subsidy plan would be: ‘Where is the barrel, what did it produce and where did the product go?’ That is not a return to the old regime. It is a redesign of the subsidy architecture,’ Abdullahi said.

The ADC said the real debate is not subsidy versus no subsidy, but priorities.

‘The debate is: what should Nigeria subsidise, why, and for whom? The ADC answers: What Nigerians need is cheaper fuel, because Nigerians are too poor not to be subsidised. Nigerian crude should create Nigerian value for Nigerians,’ the statement said.

‘We do not propose to subsidise waste. What we propose to subsidise production that directly improves capacity. And if the Presidency truly believes that even such an intervention is too expensive, then it must answer the question it has so far avoided: Why is cheaper energy for Nigerians less deserving of public investment than the other multi -trillion naira expenditures that this government has made?’

Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria following his participation at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Luanda, Angola.

His media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

VP Shettima represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the high-level summit, where Nigeria called for stronger African-led mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution, as well as urgent continental action against recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks on Africans and other nationals in South Africa.

At the summit, Nigeria also backed the Luanda Action Plan and called for sustainable financing of Africa’s peace and security architecture, stronger collective responsibility among AU member states and greater African ownership of solutions to conflicts on the continent.

The Vice President returned to Abuja after the conclusion of his engagements in Angola.

The Federal Government’s $1 billion social protection programme has been described as a commendable step towards supporting vulnerable Nigerians, but cash transfers alone cannot generate sustainable income or permanently lift households out of poverty, a leading poverty eradication expert has cautioned.

Professor Magnus Kpakol, former National Coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), made the remarks while speaking on an Arise TV programme. He urged the government to provide greater clarity on the financing of the initiative, particularly the sources of the $1 billion fund, the share expected from World Bank financing, and how the intervention would be sustained over the long term.

Kpakol stressed that the true measure of the programme’s success should not be the volume of money distributed but the number of Nigerians who eventually graduate from poverty and become economically self-sufficient.

He praised the government’s recognition of the need to move beneficiaries beyond welfare, calling the proposed graduation approach ‘extremely commendable’. However, he warned that cash transfers must remain only a basic safety net rather than the central solution to poverty.

The N40,000 cash transfer, he noted, may offer temporary relief to poor households but is unlikely to fundamentally alter their economic circumstances without complementary measures. ‘What we really need is a ladder – a catalytic mechanism that takes people from the basic cash transfer to sustainable economic activity,’ Kpakol said.

He recalled that when he introduced the cash-transfer concept in Nigeria under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the programme combined a Basic Income Guarantee with a Poverty Reduction Accelerator Investment initiative. The latter provided training, financial literacy, capacity development and access to productive opportunities. The same principle, he argued, should guide the current scheme. Beneficiaries require skills, access to capital, markets and industries capable of absorbing them into productive economic activities.

Kpakol also raised concerns about the integrity of the National Social Register, calling for a more transparent beneficiary-selection process.

During his tenure at NAPEP, he said beneficiaries were selected openly at the community level, with residents identifying those they considered genuinely poor. Such an approach fostered community ownership and reduced the risk of political patronage. ‘Nigerians need to know that beneficiaries are not simply party members, political cronies or people connected to influential individuals,’ he stated.

While acknowledging that social programmes are often politicised, Kpakol emphasised that political considerations must not determine who benefits. He advocated stronger participation by state and local governments, noting that poverty reduction cannot be driven by the Federal Government alone. States collectively control substantial financial resources that could complement federal efforts, while local governments are better placed to identify community-level needs and opportunities.

Sustainable poverty reduction, he insisted, demands industrialisation, infrastructure development and stronger institutions. ‘Poverty reduction is not simply about providing capital. It is about increasing our capacity to produce the goods and services we need,’ Kpakol said. Microfinance, like cash transfers, can help people connect to the mainstream economy but should not be regarded as a permanent solution. He called for greater local ownership of resources so communities can develop economic opportunities around assets available in their areas, and urged the utilisation of gas currently being flared to supply energy for households and businesses.

On the $1billion programme itself, Kpakol pressed the Federal Government to clearly explain its financing structure and sustainability plan. World Bank funding, understood to be an International Development Association loan, could offer relatively low interest and long repayment periods. Such financing would be justified, he said, if it successfully increased productivity and moved beneficiaries permanently out of poverty.

Ultimately, government should judge the programme by whether it delivers measurable and lasting reductions in poverty over the next 10 to 20 years. ‘The real test is not simply what we announce or how much money we distribute. It is whether we can produce measurable and sustainable reductions in poverty,’ Kpakol concluded.

THE security challenges posed by banditry and terrorism have continued to escalate in the northern part of the country, as the number of internal displaced persons and camps has continued to swell, putting a significant financial burden on the state governments.

The Nigerian Tribune’s findings revealed that states such as Benue, Borno, Niger, Zamfara, and Katsina have the highest number of displaced persons, primarily women and children who fled their ancestral communities as a result of attacks and killings, with the unfortunate situation exacerbated by flooding in some communities.

Benue

Checks in Benue pointed out that there are no fewer than 21 camps for the IDPs across the state, while records obtained from the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) depicted that 219,477 persons were displaced from their communities, with the majority of them at the IDP camps.

The breakdown of the number of people displaced as obtained by BSEMA include that Male: 0-four years 9,708, five-17 years, 53,449, 18-59 years, 28,488 and 60+ 4,002, and Female: 0-four years, 9,212, five-17 years, 50,168, 18-59 years, 56,432 and 60+ 8,018.

Kaduna

A recent survey by some civil organisations indicated that more than 1.1 million out-of-camp internally displaced persons are currently squatting in Kaduna, placing growing pressure on housing, services, and livelihoods.

This was disclosed during a one-day capacity-building workshop on youth migration governance for staff of the Kaduna State Ministry of Youth Development.

Zamfara

Similarly, Zamfara harbours 290,000 IDPs, and the state government spends N7.3b for their upkeep. The state government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian and Relief Matters, disclosed that it spent over N7.3 billion to support these camps, saying Zamfara State harbours over 290,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

The commissioner, Honourable Salisu Tsafe who disclosed this during the Commemoration of 2026 World Humanitarian Day, highlighted that banditry activities have forced quite a lot of people out of their communities and villages to seek refuge in the IDP camps

Katsina

An assessment carried out by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Katsina State recently revealed that more than 138,000 people were displaced by insecurity and natural disasters in Katsina State between January 2025 and January 2026.

The organisation’s Chief Mission Officer, Sharon Dimanche, disclosed at a press conference in Katsina that 72,000 people were displaced in the state following floods, heavy rainfall, and windstorms, while 60,000 others were forced out from their communities by armed banditry and kidnapping within the period under review.

Niger

Niger is also one of the states in the North battling insurgency at different fronts, as records obtained from the Niger State Directorate of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) showed that eight IDP camps are currently operating across six local government areas with a total of 21,258 displaced persons.

Shiroro Local Government Area has the highest number of camps, with three facilities, while Munya, Mashegu, Rafi, Rijau and Mariga local government areas have one camp each.

The Gwada IDP camp in Shiroro is hosting 2,222 displaced persons, while Kuta camp has 2,615, and Gijiwa camp has 321.

In Munya Local Government Area, the camp is accommodating 6,183 IDPs, representing the highest population among the existing camps.

Similarly, the Mashegu camp has 3,541 displaced persons, while the Rafi camp has 2,278 persons. The Rijau camp also has 2,278 displaced persons, while the Mariga camp is accommodating 1,820.

Plateau

Findings in Plateau showed that all the IDP camps had closed, despite ongoing attacks on communities and villages in parts of the state, making it difficult to obtain precise data on the number of people displaced from their ancestral homes.

Recall that the state government closed all the camps three years ago with the aim of relocating those displaced to their respective villages.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, National President, Berom Youth Moulder Association (BYMA), Mr Dalyop Solomon, stated that the people of the state, despite repeated attacks, did not fully embrace the practice of IDP camps, highlighting that victims of attacks often preferred to relocate to their neighborhoods or cities within the state to stay with their relatives.

‘They do not stay in government-designated camps. You will see their relatives from Jos and other cities in the state arriving to take them away,’ he stated.

Kwara

It is the same pathetic story in Kwara, which has only one Internally Displaced Persons camp, located at Patigi, in the Patigi local government area of the state.

The North Central Zonal Director of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hajia Ahmed Afusat Jumai, who gave the data of the affected persons said men; 2,231; women; 3,642 and children; 6,124.

Kogi

In Kogi, it is a combination of banditry and flood, which have made the number of internally displaced persons increase, but those displaced seldom stay in camp, thereby making it difficult to aggregate their numbers.

Borno

Another state facing the problem is Borno. The governor’s spokesman, Mallam Dauda Iliya, said some years back most of the IDP camps were closed, adding that the state government prioritised voluntarily returning of displaced persons to their communities of choice as security conditions improved.

He mentioned that so far, about two million people, including men and female-headed households, youths, and children, have been resettled across Borno State.

However, he said only one IDP camp remains operational in Maiduguri, while other camps were in liberated communities, including Monguno, Damboa, Gwoza, Dikwa, Konduga, Mafa and Ngala.

Sokoto

In Sokoto, thousands of residents forced to flee their homes as a result of persistent attacks by bandits and other security threats, is causing a growing humanitarian crisis across several communities in the state.

Investigations revealed that displaced population is scattered between formal and informal camps, as well as host communities, making it difficult to establish a single, up-to-date figure for the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sokoto.

The Nigerian Tribune further learnt that Sabon Birni Local Government Area alone has more than 25,000 displaced persons, making it one of the major displacement hotspots in the state.

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians in the diaspora that it is strengthening national security to guarantee a safer country and facilitate seamless visits to their homeland.

The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), gave the assurance during an interactive engagement with members of the Nigerian community residing in Angola, on the sidelines of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Luanda, Angola.

This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja on Monday by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister, Leah Katung-Babatunde.

Gen. Musa expressed appreciation to the Nigerian community in Angola for maintaining a harmonious relationship with the diplomatic mission.

According to the statement, the high-level session provided an opportunity for government representatives to listen directly to the concerns of the diaspora community and provide immediate feedback.

The Nigerian delegation to the AU Summit was led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Minister emphasised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to neutralising security threats nationwide and highlighted ongoing efforts to increase the numerical strength and operational capabilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies.

According to him, ‘Every sector is receiving targeted interventions to enhance our national security framework. Some of our ongoing challenges stem from regional instability in the Sahel, which trickles across our borders.

‘However, comprehensive border management measures are actively being implemented to curb these incursions.’

He further reaffirmed the administration’s resolve to sustain the integration of reliable data into national security strategies and developmental planning, stressing that efforts to restore lasting peace and stability remain on course.

In his remarks, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, highlighted the enhanced data protection and identity management structures recently instituted by the government, noting that strengthened inter-agency collaboration is yielding measurable results.

While reiterating her commission’s mission, the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, assured citizens that the commission’s doors remained open to support their welfare and promote opportunities for mutual engagement.

Present at the meeting were the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and the Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Mission in Angola, Ambassador Maxy Ogbede.

The race for honours at the 18th Headies Awards has intensified following the release of nominees for the 2026 edition, with some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars set to battle across several competitive categories.

Davido, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Adekunle Gold, Ayra Starr, Tems, Asake and Rema are among the leading names on the nomination list unveiled by the organisers on Tuesday.

The ceremony is scheduled to hold in Toronto, Canada, on October 25, under the theme, ‘Africa to the World’.

The nominations recognise music released between August 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026, with 213 nominations spread across 35 categories.

Fola emerged as the biggest individual nominee with 10 nominations, while Omah Lay followed with eight. Mavo and Wizkid secured seven nominations each, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive awards season.

Wizkid is in contention in major categories, including Best Male Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year, Afrobeats Album of the Year and Song of the Year. His album, Morayo, is also nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year.

Davido also features prominently, with his album 5ive nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year. His collaboration with Omah Lay, With You, earned nominations in Song of the Year, Afrobeats Single of the Year, Best Recording of the Year, Best Headies Collaboration and Viewers’ Choice.

Adekunle Gold joins the heavyweight contenders with Fuji nominated for Afrobeats Album of the Year. He is also nominated for Best Male Artiste and Best Performer (Live) for his performance at the National Theatre in Lagos.

Among the female stars, Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage lead with five nominations apiece. Ayra Starr is also in contention for Best Female Artiste, Digital Artiste of the Year and Best Performer (Live).

The Next Rated category is equally expected to attract significant attention, with Fido, Fola, Llona, Mavo and Shoday competing for the coveted prize. The category has traditionally served as a major platform for identifying the next generation of Nigerian music stars.

The organisers have also announced special honours, with veteran Congolese singer, Awilo Longomba, set to receive the Headies Hall of Fame Award, while Nigerian entertainment executive, Cecil Hammond, will receive the Special Recognition Award for his contributions to African entertainment.

With established superstars, rising acts and a new crop of contenders spread across the categories, attention will now shift to the October ceremony in Toronto, where the nominees will battle for one of Africa’s most recognised music honours.