The organisers of The Headies Awards have unveiled plans to host the 18th edition of the award ceremony outside.

At a press briefing held in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Monday, June 15, the founder of The Headies, Ayo Animashaun, announced that the 18th edition of the award ceremony will take place in Toronto, Canada.

Legit.ng recalls that the awards returned to Nigeria in 2024 following two consecutive editions in the United States.

Speaking during the event, Animashaun explained that the move is part of a broader vision to position The Headies among globally recognised award platforms.

According to him, successful international award ceremonies thrive on multiple streams of revenue and strong institutional support.

He pointed to the Grammy Awards as an example, noting that host cities often compete to attract such events because of the economic benefits they bring.

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

Animashaun added that events like the Grammys have become part of the cultural identity of their host cities and countries, making them valuable beyond entertainment.

The Headies founder also disclosed that travel company Wakanow has partnered with the organisers for the upcoming edition.

According to him, the collaboration will offer fans, nominees, and industry stakeholders an experience unlike anything previously seen in the history of the awards.

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

Although the organisers did not announce the official date for the ceremony, the revelation has already generated discussions among music enthusiasts eager to see what the Canadian edition will offer.

The award ceremony first expanded beyond Nigeria in 2022 when the 15th edition was hosted at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 16th edition also took place at the same venue before the organisers brought the awards back home in 2024.

Since its establishment in 2006, The Headies has evolved into one of the most influential platforms recognising excellence in Nigerian and African music.

At the 17th edition of the award, Nollywood actress and model Annie Macaulay, formerly Idibia, trended for her appearance.

The highlight of Annie's presence at the Headies was during a self-introduction on stage. The actress, in a trending video on stage, had almost introduced herself as Annie Idibia before swiftly correcting herself.