NIGMA 2026 Winners: Kunle Ajayi, Frank Edwards, Others Shine At Gospel Awards
Gospel music stars and industry stakeholders gathered in Lagos for the 2026 edition of the Nigeria International Gospel Music Awards (NIGMA), with veteran gospel minister Pastor Kunle Ajayi, singer Frank Edwards, Moses Bliss and several others emerging as notable honourees of the night.
The awards ceremony, organised by the Academy of Gospel Music in Nigeria (AGMN), was held at the prestigious MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos, on Sunday, August 9, 2026, bringing together gospel ministers, artistes, creatives and institutions whose work has contributed to the growth and spread of gospel music and ministry across Nigeria and beyond. The event celebrated the vibrant growth and diversity of the country’s gospel music industry amid what organisers described as an electrifying atmosphere.
Moses Bliss emerged as the night’s Artiste of the Year, capping a strong showing at the ceremony. Gaise Baba and Lawrence Oyor’s collaborative single, “No Turning Back II,” was one of the biggest winners overall, claiming Song of the Year, Best Collaboration and Afro-Gospel Song of the Year. Frank Edwards took home the Album of the Year award for his project “Heart of Worship,” beating out nominees including Moses Bliss’s “The Expression,” Mercy Chinwo’s “In His Will” and Sunmisola Agbebi’s “Glory.”
Sunmisola Agbebi was named Female Vocalist of the Year, while Tim Godfrey and Fearless Community won Group/Choir of the Year. Gospel veteran Chinyere Udoma claimed the Indigenous Gospel Song of the Year award for “Eze Abata,” and rising act Tkeyz was recognised with the Sammie Okposo Next Rated Artiste award. On the international front, Enkay won Diaspora Artiste of the Year (Female), while Limoblaze claimed the equivalent male category, underlining the growing global reach of Nigerian gospel talent.
Beyond the competitive categories, NIGMA 2026 also honoured individuals and institutions whose long-standing contributions have shaped the gospel music ecosystem. The NIGMA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Evangelist Dr. Bola Are and Pastor Kunle Ajayi, in recognition of their decades-long dedication to gospel ministry. Ajayi, a Nigerian gospel singer, songwriter, saxophonist and televangelist who currently serves as Director of Music at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, has been active in the industry since 1991 and previously marked 30 years on stage with a concert at Eko Hotels and Suites in 2018.
The NIGMA Gospel Icon Award, presented to individuals whose music and ministry have become a defining voice within gospel music, went to Sinach and Kingsley Ike. Meanwhile, the Kingdom Impact Awards, recognising prominent figures whose leadership has extended gospel influence into wider societal impact, were presented to pastors including Paul Adefarasin and Jerry Eze.
The 2026 nominees for NIGMA had earlier been unveiled by the AGMN ahead of the ceremony, generating anticipation across Nigeria’s gospel music community. With its mix of competitive awards and lifetime honours, this year’s edition reinforced NIGMA’s growing status as one of the most closely watched nights on the Nigerian gospel music calendar, celebrating both established icons and emerging voices shaping the industry’s future.
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