BET Awards 2026: Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tems, Asake lose (Full Winners List)

Nigerian music heavyweights Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tems, and Asake left the 2026 BET Awards empty-handed, failing to secure any wins despite earning significant nominations. The annual ceremony, held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles and hosted by comedian Dr.uski, celebrated achievements across music, film, television, and sports. American stars Teyana Taylor and the hip-hop duo Clipse emerged as the night's most decorated honorees.

The BET Awards, established in 2001 by BET to honor Black entertainers and minorities, saw Nigerian artists with a strong presence on the nominations list. However, they were ultimately outmatched in highly competitive categories. This outcome underscores both the growing global impact of Afrobeats and the intense competition on one of Black entertainment's premier stages.

Tems, who garnered three nominations, was shortlisted for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, BET Her for her song "First," and the Viewers' Choice Award for "Raindance." She ultimately lost Best Female R&B/Pop Artist to Kehlani, while Doechii featuring SZA's "Girl, Get Up" claimed the BET Her Award, and Mariah the Scientist's "Burning Blue" won the Viewers' Choice Award. Despite the lack of awards, Tems delivered a memorable live performance of her 2025 track "What You Need."

Wizkid and Asake were nominated for Best Group but were bested by the acclaimed rap duo Clipse, who also secured Album of the Year for "Let God Sort Em Out" and Best Collaboration for "Chains & Whips" featuring Kendrick Lamar. Burna Boy's collaboration on Gunna's "WGFT" was also unsuccessful in the Best Collaboration category. South African singer Tyla, nominated for Video of the Year and the Viewers' Choice Award, also departed without an award.

In film and television categories, talents of Nigerian and African heritage also faced disappointment. Ayo Edebiri and Cynthia Erivo were nominated for Best Actress, but the award went to Teyana Taylor. British-Nigerian actor Damson Idris lost the Best Actor prize to Michael B. Jordan. Notably, no African artists secured any awards at the 2026 BET Awards, marking a complete shutout for nominees from the continent. This contrasts with the previous year, when Ayra Starr was the sole Nigerian artist to win an award in the Best International Act category.