The 2026 BET Awards will air live on Sunday, June 28, from Los Angeles and will be hosted by comedian Druski.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
African music stars Wizkid, Asake, Burna Boy, Tems, and Tyla have secured major nominations at the 2026 BET Awards, further cementing the continent’s growing influence on global music and pop culture. The nominations for the 2026 edition of the annual awards were unveiled on Tuesday, with several African and African-descent artistes and actors receiving recognition across music, film, and television categories.
Among the African nominees, Tems shines with three nods across major categories—‘Best Female R&B/Pop Artiste’, ‘BET Her Award’ for her song First, and Viewers’ Choice Award for “Raindance”, her collaboration with Dave—following a year marked by international chart success and critical acclaim. South African singer Tyla also earned two nominations: ‘Video of the Year’ for “Chanel” and ‘Viewers’ Choice’ for “Chanel”.
Wizkid and Asake earned a joint nomination in the Best Group category, following the success of their collaborative project, Real Vol. 1, and a series of chart-topping releases. Burna Boy was nominated in the Best Collaboration category for WGFT, his feature on Gunna’s hit single.
Beyond the music sphere, stars of Nigerian heritage also received prominent acting nominations for the 2026 edition. British-Nigerian actresses Ayo Edebiri and Cynthia Erivo were both nominated for Best Actress, while Damson Idris secured a nomination for Best Actor. Their recognition highlights the continued impact of Nigerians and people of Nigerian descent across Hollywood and international entertainment.
The 2026 BET Awards will air live on Sunday, June 28, from Los Angeles and will be hosted by comedian Druski.
The BET Awards is an American award show established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television to celebrate Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports, and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annually, are broadcast live on BET.
Check out the complete list of nominees here.