Headies Heads to Canada as Organisers Push Global Expansion

The organisers of The Headies have announced that the 18th edition of Nigeria’s foremost music awards ceremony will be staged in Toronto Canada, marking another significant milestone in the event’s international expansion strategy.

The announcement was made by Headies founder Ayo Animashaun, during a media briefing held in Victoria Island, Lagos, where he outlined plans aimed at positioning the awards platform for long-term global relevance and financial sustainability.

Although organisers are yet to unveil the official date for the ceremony, Animashaun confirmed that travel and tourism company Wakanow has partnered with The Headies to provide a seamless travel experience for guests and attendees journeying from Nigeria to Canada.

“We have a partner going with us to give a never-seen-before experience from Lagos to Toronto and the partner is Wakanow,” Animashaun said.

Explaining the rationale behind taking the awards ceremony abroad once again, the Headies founder said the organisation was exploring new revenue models similar to those adopted by major international award platforms.

According to him, dependence on sponsorship alone is no longer sufficient to sustain large-scale entertainment events in today’s competitive global environment.

“Most of the awards in the world that you see that are big, that you talk about, they have four or five sources of revenue. Here we have only one, everybody talks about sponsorship,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with the Grammy Awards, Animashaun noted that major global award ceremonies often enjoy institutional support because of their impact on local economies.

“The Grammy Awards left Los Angeles during COVID and went to New York. Los Angeles fought to bring the Grammys back because the event contributes significantly to its economy and identity. We must begin to think about what events represent Nigeria globally,” he added.

The announcement signals a continuation of The Headies international journey. The awards previously held its 15th and 16th editions in Atlanta, Georgia, before returning to Nigeria in 2024.

Since its launch in 2006, The Headies has evolved into one of Africa’s most prestigious music awards platforms, celebrating excellence and achievements within Nigeria’s thriving music industry.