By Rosemary Etim Bassey Once again, Nigerian artists have become a symbol of national pride as few have been nominated in the 2025 Grammy nominations. On the list are Burna Boy, TEMS, Wizkid, Asake, Davido, Yemi Alade, Lojay and Rema. In this feature, Weekend Trust details Nigeria’s journey to the Grammys, contributing factors to the nominations, and reactions that have trailed the nominations over the years.
Timeline Nigeria’s journey to the Grammy Hall of Fame is one of ambition, near-misses and controversies, yet Nigerian artists remain undeterred in their pursuit of the Grammy plaque. It began in 1983, with King Sunny Adé becoming the first Nigerian to be nominated for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording with Synchro System. Although he did not win, this nomination opened the Grammy stage to African singers, inspiring many more Nigerian artists to follow.
One of the earliest Grammy stories belong to Babatunde Olatunji, a percussionist who received a Grammy nomination in 1960 and won posthumously in 1991 as part of Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum project, which won Best World Music Album. Fellow Nigerian percussionist Sikiru Adepoju also won alongside Hart in 1991 and again in 2009 for Global Drum Project, making him a two-time Grammy winner. A new wave of recognition came in the 2000s with Femi Kuti, who was first nominated in 2003 and continued to earn nominations over the years, though he has yet to secure a win.
By 2016, it seemed as if luck was turning in Nige.