Los Angeles, United States (Running Africa) — Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has earned two nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), flying the Nigerian flag at this year’s ceremony even as MTV removes its dedicated Best Afrobeats category after just three years.
The Grammy-winning artist received both nominations for “Dai Dai,” his collaboration with Colombian superstar Shakira, according to the 2026 VMA nominations announced on Tuesday.
The track is nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Latin, placing Burna Boy across two major categories at a ceremony where African artists are increasingly competing beyond dedicated regional or genre classifications.
Burna Boy Scores Two MTV VMA 2026 Nominations
Burna Boy’s two nominations extend a run of international recognition that has established him as one of Africa’s most prominent global music stars.
His collaboration with Shakira on “Dai Dai” puts him in contention for both Best Collaboration and Best Latin at the 2026 MTV VMAs.
The nominations also highlight the Nigerian singer’s ability to move across musical markets and audiences, with his latest recognition coming through a collaboration with one of Latin music’s biggest global names.
For African music, his presence in broader VMA categories comes at a significant moment as MTV moves away from a standalone Afrobeats award.
MTV VMAs Drop Best Afrobeats Category After Three Years
The Best Afrobeats category will not return to the 2026 VMAs after its introduction in 2023.
The award was created as Afrobeats experienced rapid international growth, driven by Nigerian and African artists reaching global charts, festivals, and streaming audiences.
Rema and Selena Gomez became the category’s inaugural winners in 2023 with the global hit “Calm Down.”
South African star Tyla then won in 2024 for “Water” before retaining the award in 2025 with “Push 2 Start.”
Its removal after three editions represents a notable change in how one of the world’s biggest music awards is recognizing African popular music.
African Artists Move Into Broader VMA Categories
While the dedicated Afrobeats award has disappeared, African artists are increasingly appearing across the VMAs’ wider genre and collaboration categories.
Burna Boy’s nominations offer one example of that shift.
Rather than competing specifically under the Afrobeats label, the Nigerian artist is nominated alongside international acts in categories covering collaboration and Latin music.
The development comes as the boundaries around Afrobeats and African pop music continue to expand, with artists increasingly collaborating across Latin, R&B, hip-hop, pop, and other global genres.
Burna Boy Continues Global Crossover
Burna Boy has spent years building an international career that extends well beyond the Nigerian music market.
His latest VMA nominations reinforce his crossover appeal, particularly as African artists become increasingly integrated into mainstream global award categories rather than appearing exclusively in Africa-specific categories.
The collaboration with Shakira also reflects the growing connections between African and Latin music, two markets whose artists have increasingly found international audiences through streaming and cross-cultural collaborations.
For Burna Boy, the nominations provide another opportunity to add to an already extensive list of global accolades.
When Are the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards?
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards will take place in Los Angeles on September 27, bringing together some of the biggest artists and releases from the past year.
Fans will be able to vote across 13 categories ahead of the ceremony.
For African audiences, attention will be firmly on Burna Boy as he competes for two awards with “Dai Dai.”
The absence of a Best Afrobeats category will inevitably raise questions about the genre’s place at the VMAs. But Burna Boy’s presence across broader categories also points to another reality: African artists are increasingly competing in the global music mainstream rather than being confined to a single category.
