Afrobeats superstars Wizkid, Burna Boy and Asake have been confirmed as headliners for the highly anticipated Afro Nation 2026 festival in Portugal, organisers have announced.

According to the festival’s official announcement on X-@Afro Nation, the 2026 edition promises a powerful lineup that blends established legacies with exciting new voices on the global music scene.

The festival, regarded as one of the world’s premier celebrations of Afrobeats, Amapiano and R&B, is scheduled to take place from Friday, July 3 to Sunday, July 5 at Praia da Rocha Beach in Portimao, Portugal.

Burna Boy, Grammy-winning Nigerian artist known for his dynamic fusion of Afrobeat, dancehall, and global rhythms, is scheduled to open the festival on July 3.

The ‘African Giant’ will share the stage with South African star Tyla, whose rise in Amapiano and global charts has cemented her status as a breakout international talent.

Asake, who is well celebrated for his infectious blend of Afrobeats, street pop, and soulful melodies will headline July 4, while Wizkid is slated to close the festival on July 5.

In addition to the headline acts, the Afro Nation 2026 lineup includes a diverse roster of international performers.

American R&B singer Kehlani and rapper Gunna are among the special guests confirmed for the festival, bringing cross-genre flair to the music fiesta.

Several Nigerian artistes are also billed to perform at the event, including Olamide, Young John, Darkoo, Wande Coal, and Mavo, a move that underscores the global rise of African music and culture.

According to the organisers, early access ticket sales will begin on Feb 5, allowing fans to secure passes ahead of the general public sale.

Afro Nation is an annual three-day music festival organised by The Malachite Group to unite the African diaspora in a celebration of dance, food, fashion, music.

The   festival, which started in 2019 in Portugal, focuses on showcasing African and international artists across genres such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, RnB, Hip hop, Dancehall, and more.

Besides the annual Portugal edition, Afro Nation has also since taken place in Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami and Detroit.

Acclaimed to be a global cultural movement, Afro Nation has evolved into a platform that amplifies voices of African artists worldwide.

Past headliners include Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Megan Thee Stallion, 50 Cent, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj, among others.

Nigerian singer Adekunle Kosoko, popularly known as Adekunle Gold has opened up about his deliberate choice to avoid trouble and conflict in his daily life.

In a video shared by X.com user #OlamideOfficial on Thursday, the ‘Orente’ crooner emphasised his preference for peace over unnecessary drama.

“Some of us, we just don’t like trouble.

In fact, I don’t want to be near it, I just want to live,” Adekunle Gold stated emphatically.

The artist explained that his avoidance of conflict stems from self-awareness about his temperament. According to him, once a situation begins to escalate, he prefers to remove himself entirely rather than engage.

“Me, I know myself.

My mouth is not good at all. Anybody that knows me, my mouth is not good. So, I don’t even want to say anything out of regret, so I’d rather just step away,” he confessed.

While clarifying that walking away doesn’t equate to weakness or an inability to defend himself when necessary, the singer questioned the mindset of those who actively pursue conflict.

“What is your mind like? Why do you not like peace? Why do you not like peace of mind? Why don’t you just walk away?” he asked.

Dr. Deji Adeleke, father of Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed that DNA tests confirm his son is not the father of a girl, Aanu, who had been at the centre of a controversial paternity dispute.

Adeleke made this known while addressing journalists at his Lagos home on Wednesday.

He explained that the girl is not his son’s child, as proven by DNA tests conducted at multiple hospitals in Lagos.

The businessman said he first learned about the case in 2014 when he received a letter from a lawyer in Ibadan alleging that Davido had impregnated a woman, Ayo Labinjoh, and abandoned the child.

Adeleke, who is a grandfather of 14, stressed that while he welcomes grandchildren, science must guide the confirmation of paternity.

He said, “I have 14 grandchildren, so what will one more do? Is it that I will not be able to afford to do things for her or bring her into my family? I want more grandchildren, but there is science  DNA. If you say you are my granddaughter and science has proven that you are my granddaughter, I would gladly accept you.”

Discussing the lawyer’s letter, Adeleke said the document, which included a picture of the child, Davido, and the mother, also contained the child’s birth certificate.

He questioned the names listed.

“And in that mail also, curiously, there was a birth certificate of the child.”

And what caught my attention was that in the record of the birth certificate, it said the full name of the father: Adeleke David, the full name of the mother: Adeleke Ayotomide. How can she be Adeleke?”

Adeleke said three DNA tests were conducted for Davido. Two came out negative, while the third sample was declared contaminated and spoiled. To rule out mistaken identity with Davido’s cousin, Adebayo Adeleke, known as B-Red, two tests were also conducted for him, which also proved negative.

He narrated his initial steps in handling the case.

“Immediately I saw this letter, even before calling David, I called this woman and said, ‘Look, I’m not speaking to my son yet, but I’m going to speak to him. But I’ll suggest that you give me your address in Ibadan. I’ll send my driver to come and know where you live, but I can assure you that if this girl is my granddaughter, you have no problems with me; I’ll welcome her into my family happily.’ She was happy. She gave me her address, and I gave the address to my driver.”

Describing the DNA test as arranged, Adeleke said, “And I called her, gave her the information that anytime they were ready, I would send my driver to pick them up from Ibadan. So, on the appointed day, I sent my driver to Ibadan. Very early, my driver brought the mother of the child, the grandmother, and the baby. The three of them came.

“And because my driver knows Vedic Hospital, they were already there before I came in with David, because I asked David to come here, and his aide, Lati. So David, I, and Lati met them at Vedic Hospital. We went upstairs where the samples were taken.”

Clarifying the procedure, Adeleke said, “So we were all in the same room, and he (the doctor) told us the procedure. It was not blood. I’ve read on social media that they were drawing blood. It’s not. It was not done by blood. It was from their saliva in their mouth. And he told us that these samples would be sent to South Africa for analysis. The grandmother of the baby and I signed that both of us would be the ones to receive the result.”

He revealed the outcome.

“When the result came, there was a 0.00 probability that Davido was the girl’s father. Another test, he said, also turned negative.”

Despite the negative results, Adeleke said he had been sponsoring the education of the girl and her mother at the university, in line with the family’s request. He noted that the mother stopped schooling after two sessions, while the girl completed her primary education.

The paternity dispute resurfaced on January 15, 2025, when an Instagram account reportedly managed by Labinjoh posted a plea to Davido, claiming her daughter had suffered bullying and ridicule at school. The post requested a DNA test to confirm paternity.

Davido dismissed the claims on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “After five DNA tests. she dey craze. she and her mom better leave me alone and go find her papa.” He emphasized that all tests had been negative.

Labinjoh countered by posting private chats between her daughter and Davido.

Meanwhile, Adeleke claimed that a sister of the girl informed him that the social media accounts alleging Davido had abandoned Aanu and her mother were opened and managed by a media personality without the family’s consent.