Grammy Award-winning Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, closed the 2026 edition of the Afro Plus Fest in Maryland, United States, on Sunday, marking 15 years since his breakthrough in the music industry.
The 35-year-old singer headlined the final night of the three-day festival, which ran from 4 to 6 September at the Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland.
Wizkid’s performance carried added significance as he celebrated a decade and a half in the industry, having first risen to prominence with the hit “Holla at Your Boy” from his 2011 debut album, Superstar.
Wizkid, who shared the stage with a global line-up of Afrobeats, dancehall and hip-hop artists, delivered a mix of career-defining tracks that had the crowd singing along.
The performance included “In My Bed,” “Daddy Yo,” “Bad to Me,” “Slow Down,” “Caro,” “Essence,” “Alaye,” “Jogodo,” “Money Constant,” and “Ojuelegba.”
Since his breakthrough in the industry, Wizkid has built one of the most decorated careers in African music, becoming the first Nigerian artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a co-writer and featured artist on Drake’s “One Dance.”
His catalogue includes albums such as Ayo, Made in Lagos, More Love, Less Ego and Morayo.
Wizkid has also won a Grammy Award for his contribution to Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl” and is the most-streamed African artist on platforms such as Spotify. His Tems-assisted hit “Essence” achieved massive global crossover success.
The artist’s appearance as the final-night headliner underscored both his influence on Afrobeats and the rapid growth of Afro Plus Fest into a major diaspora gathering.
Official announcements for the festival featured Nigerian superstar Davido as the Friday headliner, Jamaican dancehall artiste Alkaline on Saturday, and Wizkid closing on Sunday, with additional acts including Lil Baby, Latto, Tems, Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, Olamide and Adekunle Gold among others.
Billed as the largest Afro-Caribbean-Hip Hop festival, the 2026 edition reportedly expanded to a three-day format across two stages, drawing a projected 40,000 fans daily.
Reflecting on the festival’s growth, Founder and Executive Producer Michael Awosanya noted in an earlier statement that the event had evolved into a global diaspora movement.
“The block party we dreamed about for a decade became a reality, and it exceeded every expectation. This sold-out debut proved that Afro Plus Fest is not just an event — it’s a movement. This was only the beginning. Afro Plus Fest is here to stay,” Awosanya stated.
