WIZKID MARKS 15-YEAR CAREER MILESTONE WITH STAR-STUDDED AFRO PLUS FEST PERFORMANCE

Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, delivered the headline performance at the 2026 Afro Plus Fest in Maryland, United States, as he celebrated 15 years in the music industry. The 35-year-old singer brought the three-day festival to a close on Sunday, September 6, at the Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland, performing before a large audience gathered for the final night of the event. His appearance carried added significance as it marked a major milestone in a career that has seen him become one of Africa’s most influential global music acts.

Wizkid rose to prominence in 2011 following the release of his debut album, Superstar, which featured the breakout hit “Holla at Your Boy.” Fifteen years later, the singer has built an extensive catalogue and earned international recognition through projects including Ayo, Made in Lagos, More Love, Less Ego and Morayo. During his Afro Plus Fest set, he treated fans to several of his popular records, including “Ojuelegba,” “Essence,” “Caro,” “Daddy Yo,” “In My Bed,” “Bad to Me,” “Slow Down,” “Alaye,” “Jogodo” and “Money Constant.”

The Grammy-winning artiste has continued to play a major role in taking Afrobeats to audiences beyond Africa. His collaboration with Drake on “One Dance” helped make him the first Nigerian artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a featured artist and co-writer, while “Essence,” featuring Tems, became another international success. Wizkid has also won a Grammy Award for his contribution to Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl,” further strengthening his status as one of Nigeria’s most decorated contemporary musicians.

The Afro Plus Fest itself brought together a wide range of African, Caribbean and American music stars for its expanded three-day edition, held from September 4 to 6. Davido headlined the opening night, Jamaican dancehall star Alkaline took the Saturday slot, while Wizkid closed the festival on Sunday. Other performers and featured acts included Lil Baby, Latto, Tems, Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, Olamide and Adekunle Gold, reflecting the festival’s effort to create a major meeting point for Afrobeats, hip-hop, dancehall, amapiano and other sounds from across the diaspora.

Wizkid’s closing performance therefore served as both a festival highlight and a celebration of his remarkable journey since his 2011 breakthrough. Afro Plus Fest organisers have described the event as a growing global diaspora movement, with the 2026 edition expanding to multiple stages and attracting a projected 40,000 fans daily. With Wizkid returning to the festival as its final-night headliner while marking 15 years in the industry, the occasion provided another reminder of the Nigerian star’s enduring influence on the worldwide growth of Afrobeats.