Leading the Nigerian contingent was Afrobeats sensation Rema, who emerged as one of the biggest winners of the night, taking home the coveted Album of the Year award for his critically acclaimed project Heis as well as the Best Male Artist award. His double victory further cements his position as one of Africa’s most influential contemporary musicians.
Other Nigerian acts also enjoyed memorable moments during the ceremony. Ayra Starr was named Best Artist (Western Africa Anglophone), gospel singer Mercy Chinwo won Best Gospel Artist, while music icon D’banj received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his enduring contribution to African music.
The awards celebrated outstanding achievements across Africa’s vibrant music industry, recognising artists, producers, DJs, dancers, performers and creatives whose work continues to shape the global sound of African music. From Afrobeats and Amapiano to hip-hop, dancehall, bongo flava, gospel and Afro-pop, the event showcased the remarkable diversity that has propelled African music onto the international stage.
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Back story
The Trace Awards & Summit was created by TRACE, the global music and entertainment platform dedicated to promoting African and Afro-inspired music and culture. Following the success of its inaugural edition in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2023, the second edition expanded its reach by moving to Zanzibar, Tanzania, where artists from more than 30 countries competed across 24 award categories.
Beyond the awards ceremony, the three-day summit featured industry discussions, networking sessions and masterclasses focusing on the future of Africa’s creative economy, technology, branding and the global growth of African entertainment. Organisers also retained a unique voting format in which public votes accounted for 50 per cent of the final results, while the remaining 50 per cent came from an expert jury.
This year’s ceremony reinforced the growing international appeal of African music. Afrobeats continued its dominance alongside South Africa’s Amapiano movement, while artists from East, West, Central and Southern Africa were recognised for their contributions to the continent’s evolving music landscape.
For Nigeria, the awards represented yet another successful outing on the international stage. In addition to Rema’s two victories, Nigerian creatives also secured wins behind the scenes, with renowned music video director Meji Alabi winning Best Music Video for Rema’s DND and producer P.Priime receiving the Best Producer award for his work on Asake and Wizkid’s MMS.
Full list of winners
Global Awards
Song of the Year
- Titom & Yuppe – Tshwala Bam (South Africa)
Album of the Year
- Rema – Heis (Nigeria)
Best Collaboration
- Tamsir & Team Paiya – Coup du Marteau (Ivory Coast)
Best Music Video
- Meji Alabi – Rema, DND (Nigeria)
Best Dancer
- Makhadzi (South Africa)
Best DJ
- DJ Moh Green – Kelele (Algeria)
Best Hip Hop Artist
- Didi B (Ivory Coast)
Pan-African Awards
- Best Global African Artist: Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
- Best Male Artist: Rema (Nigeria)
- Best Female Artist: Tyla (South Africa)
- Best Live Performance: Fally Ipupa (DR Congo)
- Best Producer: P.Priime – MMS (Nigeria)
- Best Gospel Artist: Mercy Chinwo (Nigeria)
Regional Awards
Best Artist (Eastern Africa)
- Bien (Kenya)
Best Artist (Western Africa Anglophone)
- Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Best Artist (Southern Africa)
- Tyler ICU (South Africa)
Best Artist (Francophone Africa)
- Josey (Ivory Coast)
Best Artist (Lusophone Africa)
- Chelsea Dinorath (Angola)
Best Artist (Tanzania)
- Nandy (Tanzania)
International & Diaspora Awards
Best Artist (Europe)
- Joe Dwet File (France/Haiti)
Best Artist (Brazil)
- Duquesa (Brazil)
Best Artist (Caribbean)
- Shenseea (Jamaica)
Best Artist (Indian Ocean)
- Barth (Réunion)
Lifetime Achievement Award
- D’banj (Nigeria)
With another strong showing at the Trace Awards, Nigerian artists once again demonstrated their influence across Africa’s music industry. Rema’s double triumph, alongside honours for Ayra Starr, Mercy Chinwo, D’banj, P.Priime and Meji Alabi, underscored Nigeria’s continued dominance while highlighting the continent’s growing cultural impact on audiences around the world.
