18th Headies Postponed To April 10-11, 2027 In Toronto

The 18th Headies Awards will no longer hold on October 23 as planned. Organisers announced on October 10 that the Toronto finale has moved to April 10 and 11, 2027, about six months later than scheduled, which leaves nominees led by FOLA, Omah Lay and Wizkid waiting until spring to learn the winners.

What the Organisers Announced

The Headies posted the change on its official Instagram page, @the_headies, on Saturday, October 10, 13 days before the original date. “The road to the 18th Headies continues,” the statement said. “We’re expanding the programme in Nigeria and Canada ahead of our Toronto finale, now scheduled for April 10 and 11, 2027.”

Expanding that programme is the only reason organisers gave. They said “Road to The Headies” activities will continue through the original October window, with details to follow through official channels. The official site, theheadies.com, now lists the awards ceremony for April 10 and 11 at 9:00 PM, plus a Headies Trade and Investment Summit and a Creative Summit in April 2027.

The statement also apologised to guests who had already booked trips: “To guests who have already made travel plans and other arrangements, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.” The April venue, the hosts and the performers are yet to be announced.

Tickets for the October show were on sale through the official site, at CA$100 for regular, CA$200 for VIP and CA$500 for VVIP, and through Eventbrite, where the listing is now marked as postponed. Organisers are yet to publish refund or transfer details.

Fans used the comments to ask about it. One ticket buyer wrote, “why have we not received an email yet for refund?” Another called the change “a very anyhow movement” and asked “why allow people make such arrangements” if the date could not hold. Other fans defended the organisers and said the decision could not have been easy.

Toronto, Past Delays and the Nominees

The Headies had previously announced the move to Toronto on June 15, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos. Founder Ayo Animashaun told the room, “We’re going to have a watch party; we’re going to have a watch show between Toronto and Lagos.” He added that the 2026 edition would bring a training and investment summit: “For the first time, we’re having a training and investment summit.”

A change of date is not new for the award. The 17th Headies, held at the Landmark Event Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, on April 27, 2025, was first set for April 5, and organisers said in March 2025 that it “has been rescheduled.” The 15th and 16th editions both took place in Atlanta, in September 2022 and September 2023.

Nominations were announced on August 25, and the full list of nominees runs across 35 categories. FOLA leads with 10 nominations, followed by Omah Lay with eight, Mavo and Wizkid with seven each, and Asake and Davido with six each. FOLA’s Catharsis is up for Album of the Year against Omah Lay’s Clarity of Mind, Wizkid’s Morayo, Burna Boy’s No Sign of Weakness, Tiwa Savage’s This One Is Personal, Erigga’s G.O.A.T and Odumodublvck’s The Machine Is Coming.

The nominees were chosen from music released between August 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026. You can read more on FOLA’s album tracklist, the project behind his 10 nominations.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 18th Headies now?

The 18th Headies Toronto finale is now set for April 10 and 11, 2027. It was originally scheduled for October 23, 2026.

Will tickets be refunded?

Organisers are yet to publish refund or transfer details for tickets bought for the October date.

Who leads the nominations?

FOLA leads the 18th Headies with 10 nominations, ahead of Omah Lay with eight.