Burna Boy and Tems Put Nigeria in Spotlight as 2026 MTV VMAs Hold Tonight

Nigerian music stars Burna Boy and Tems are set to put Nigeria in the spotlight as the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) take place tonight, Sunday, September 27, in Los Angeles.

The ceremony is scheduled for the Peacock Theater and will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on CBS and MTV, with streaming available on Paramount+. The show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, which is 12:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28, in Nigeria.

Burna Boy Earns Two Nominations

Burna Boy, whose real name is Damini Ogulu, enters this year’s VMAs with two nominations for his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira on their song “Dai Dai.”

The song is nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Latin.

“Dai Dai” was also associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, adding another major international platform to Burna Boy’s growing global profile.

In the Best Collaboration category, Burna Boy and Shakira are competing against collaborations involving artists including Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Malice; French Montana and Max B; Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter; PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson; and Teyana Taylor and Lucky Daye.

Burna Boy’s second nomination comes in the Best Latin category, where “Dai Dai” is listed alongside songs by artists including Anitta, Shakira, Bad Bunny, KAROL G, Rosalía and Ryan Castro.

Tems Nominated for Best R&B

Tems also secured a nomination at the 2026 VMAs.

The Nigerian singer, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, is nominated in the Best R&B category for “Raindance,” her collaboration with British rapper Dave.

Tems will compete in the category against artists including Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Kehlani, and Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis.

The nomination adds another major international recognition to Tems’ career and reflects the continued presence of Nigerian artists in major global music award categories.

No Best Afrobeats Category This Year

One of the notable developments surrounding this year’s VMAs is the absence of the Best Afrobeats category.

The category, which had been included in the awards for three editions, was not included in the 2026 nominations.

The first Best Afrobeats VMA was won by Rema and Selena Gomez for “Calm Down” in 2023. South African singer Tyla subsequently won the category in both 2024 and 2025.

Despite the removal of the dedicated category, Nigerian music remains represented through Burna Boy’s two nominations and Tems’ Best R&B nomination.

MTV VMAs Take Place Tonight

The 2026 MTV VMAs will be hosted by Snoop Dogg and will feature performances and appearances from several major international music stars.

Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 11, followed by Taylor Swift with nine nominations. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each have seven nominations.

The ceremony will take place from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, according to CBS and Paramount’s official information. For viewers in Nigeria, that translates to 12:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28, because Nigeria is five hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time.

Nigeria’s Global Music Presence

Burna Boy and Tems’ nominations come at a time when Nigerian music continues to gain recognition across major international music platforms.

Although neither artist’s physical attendance at tonight’s ceremony has been independently confirmed in the sources reviewed, their nominations ensure that Nigerian music has a visible presence on one of the world’s biggest music award stages.

For Burna Boy, the two nominations further connect Nigerian music with Latin music and international collaborations through “Dai Dai.” For Tems, the Best R&B nomination highlights her continued crossover between Afrobeats, R&B and the wider global music scene.

The winners will be announced during tonight’s ceremony in Los Angeles.