2025 Trace Awards: D’banj, Mercy Chinwo, Rema win big (FULL WINNERS LIST)

Nigerian music stars D’Banj, Rema and Mercy Chinwo emerged as winners at the 2025 Trace Awards.

Trace Awards & Summit is a music awards show established by Trace Group to celebrate the anniversary of the French pay-TV music video television channel Trace TV.

The event took place on Wednesday to celebrate her 20th anniversary at Mora Resort in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The event’s focus was on highlighting the diversity and richness of Afro-music. Over 30 countries competed in 24 categories, including AfroBeats, Afro-pop, hip-hop, dancehall, and more.

The show also celebrated talents and the creative juice they put out in shaping the global music space.

D’Banj, Mercy Chinwo and Rema made Nigerians proud as they won awards in different categories.

Rema

Winning in three categories, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, bagged awards for Album of the Year for his second album, ‘Heis’, which was released on 10 July 2024. ‘DND’ was released in 2023 and won him Best Music Video. He also bagged the Best Male Artiste award.

D’Banj

Dbanj, aka The Koko master, won a Lifetime Achievement Award. Just last year, the 44-year-old celebrated a milestone of his life and career in the music industry. He dropped an EP with ‘Since 04’ as the hit song to commemorate this. D’banj has had this award for a long time.

Mercy Chinwo

Amidst the dispute with her record label, Chinwo grabbed the award for Best Gospel Music. The 33-year-old came to the limelight in 2018 with the release of her hit song ‘Excess Love’. With barely 8 years in the industry, she’s bagged a big one.

Ayra Starr

Emerging as ‘Best West African Artiste’ is an irrefutable fit, as the 22-year-old has proven to deserve her wins.

With two albums, “19 & Dangerous”, released in 2021, and “The Year I Turned 21”, released in 2024, Ayra is indisputably hardworking.

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P.Prime won ‘Best Producer’ for ‘MMS,’ and Meji Alabi earned ‘Best Music Video’ for directing Rema’s ‘DND’.

See the complete list of nominees and winners below:

Song of the Year

Titom & Yuppe – ‘Tshwala Bam’ (South Africa) (Winner)

Tyla – ‘Jump’ (South Africa)

Tyler ICU – ‘Mnike’ (South Africa)

Tamsir x Team Paiya – ‘Coup du Marteau’ (Ivory Coast)

Asake & Travis Scott – ‘Active’ (Nigeria)

Tems – ‘Love Me Jeje’ (Nigeria)

Burna Boy – ‘Higher’ (Nigeria)

Rema & Shallipopi – ‘Benin Boys’ (Nigeria)

Diamond Platnumz – ‘Komasawa’ (Tanzania)

Album of the Year

Rema – Heis (Nigeria) (Winner)

Burna Boy – I Told Them (Nigeria)

Asake – Lungu Boy (Nigeria)

Josey – Vibration Universelle (Ivory Coast)

Amaarae – Fountain Baby (Ghana)

King Promise – True To Self (Ghana)

Stonebwoy – 5th Dimension (Ghana)

Toofan – Stamina (Togo)

Best Collaboration

Tamsir & Team Paiya – ‘Coup du Marteau’ (Ivory Coast) (Winner)

Titom & Yuppe & Burna Boy – ‘Tshwala Bam’ (Remix) (South Africa/Nigeria)

Neyna & MC Acondize – ‘Nu Ka Sta Para’ (Cape Verde)

Kocee ft. Patoranking – ‘Credit Alert’ (Cameroon/Nigeria)

Asake & Wizkid – ‘MMS’ (Nigeria)

Rema & Shallipopi – ‘Benin Boys’ (Nigeria)

Odumodublvck & Black Sherif – ‘Woto Woto Seasoning’ (Ghana)

Best Music Video

Meji Alabi – Rema ‘DND’ (Nigeria) (Winner)

TG Omori – Kizz Daniel & Davido ‘Twe Twe’ (Nigeria)

Director Folex – Zuchu feat Innoss’ B ‘Nani’ (Remix) (Tanzania/DRC)

Nabil Elderkin – Tyla ‘Jump’ (South Africa)

Kmane – Ayra Starr ‘Commas’ (Nigeria)

Seoute Emmanuel – Toofan ‘C Pas Normal’ (Togo)

Ach’B – Innoss’ B ‘Sete’ (DRC)

Edgar Esteves – Asake & Wizkid ‘MMS’ (Nigeria)

Best Dancer

Makhadzi (South Africa) (Winner)

Ikorodu Boys (Nigeria)

Dancegod Lloyd (Ghana)

Incredible Zigi (Ghana)

Kamo Mphela (South Africa)

Telminho (Angola)

Ordinateur (Ivory Coast)

Issac Kalonji (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Best DJ

DJ Moh Green – ‘Kelele’ (Algeria) (Winner)

Tyler ICU – ‘Mnike’ (South Africa)

Uncle Waffles – ‘Wadibusa’ (South Africa)

DJ Tunez – ‘Apala Disco Remix’ (Nigeria)

DJ Nelasta – ‘Eros’ (Angola)

DJ Spinall ft. Tyla & Omah Lay – ‘One Call’ (Nigeria)

DJ Neptune ft. Qing Madi – ‘Honest’ (Nigeria)

DJ Maphorisa – ‘Mnike’ (South Africa)

Kabza De Small – ‘Imithandazo’ (South Africa)

Best Hip Hop Artist (sponsored by Hot 97)

Didi B (Ivory Coast) (Winner)

Nasty C (South Africa)

Odumodublvck (Nigeria)

Suspect 95 (Ivory Coast)

Sarkodie (Ghana)

Young Lunya (Tanzania)

Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa)

Pan-African Awards

Best Global African Artist

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) (Winner)

Tyla (South Africa)

Tyler ICU (South Africa)

Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Asake (Nigeria/USA)

Rema (Nigeria)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Best Male Artist

Rema (Nigeria) (Winner)

Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)

Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Asake (Nigeria)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Wizkid (Nigeria)

Stonebwoy (Ghana)

Best Female Artist

Tyla (South Africa) (winner)

Makhadzi (South Africa)

Chelsea Dinorath (Angola)

Josey (Ivory Coast)

Ayra Starr (Nigeria)

Tems (Nigeria)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria)

Best Live Performance

PhillBill (Cameroon)

Best Artist (Lusophone Africa)

Chelsea Dinorath (Angola) (Winner)

Calema (São Tomé and Príncipe)

Landrick (Angola)

Twenty Fingers (Mozambique)

Mr. Bow (Mozambique)

Soraia Ramos (Cape Verde)

Best Artist (Tanzania)

Nandy (Tanzania) (Winner)

Mbosso (Zanzibar)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Zuchu (Zanzibar)

Marioo (Tanzania)

Alikiba (Tanzania)

Jux (Tanzania)

Harmonize (Tanzania)

International and Diaspora Awards

Best Artist (Europe)

Joe Dwet File (France/Haiti) (Winner)

Central Cee (United Kingdom)

Kalash (France/Martinique)

Darkoo (United Kingdom)

Jungeli (France)

Franglish (France)

Aya Nakamura (France/Mali)

Best Artist (Brazil)

Duquesa (Brazil) (Winner)

Racionais MC’s (Brazil)

MC IG (Brazil)

Péricles (Brazil)

Tasha & Tracie (Brazil)

Ludmilla (Brazil)

Best Artist (Caribbean)

Lea Churro (Reunion Island) (Winner)

Venssy (French Guiana)

Mathieu White (Guadeloupe)

Meryl (Martinique)

Nesly (French Guiana)

Shenseea (Jamaica)

Kenny Haiti (Haiti)

Best Artist (Indian Ocean)

Barth (Reunion) (Winner)

Goulam (Comoros)

PLL (Reunion)

Kalipsxau (Reunion)

Léa Churros (Reunion)

Jamily Jeanne (Mauritius)

Lifetime Achievement Award

D’Banj (Winner)