Grammy-winning Nigerian Afrobeats star, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, brought the 2026 Afro Plus Fest to a close in Maryland, United States, on Sunday, as he marked 15 years since his emergence on the music scene.
The singer headlined the final day of the three-day festival, held from September 4 to 6 at the Northwest Stadium Complex in Landover, Maryland.
Wizkid’s appearance was particularly significant as it coincided with his 15th anniversary in the music industry. He rose to prominence in 2011 following the release of his debut album, Superstar, which featured the hit single, “Holla at Your Boy.”
The 35-year-old performer thrilled the audience with a selection of songs spanning different stages of his career, performing alongside an international cast of Afrobeats, dancehall and hip-hop stars.
Among the songs on his setlist were “In My Bed,” “Daddy Yo,” “Bad to Me,” “Slow Down,” “Caro,” “Essence,” “Alaye,” “Jogodo,” “Money Constant,” and “Ojuelegba.”
Over the past 15 years, Wizkid has established himself as one of Africa’s most successful music exports, earning major international recognition and several career milestones.
He became the first Nigerian artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 as a co-writer and featured artiste on Drake’s “One Dance.”
His discography also includes Ayo, Made in Lagos, More Love, Less Ego and Morayo.
Wizkid earned a Grammy Award for his contribution to Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl” and has remained one of Africa’s most-streamed artistes on platforms including Spotify.
His collaboration with Tems on “Essence” also became a major global hit.
His selection as the closing-night headliner further highlighted his standing in the Afrobeats movement, while also reflecting the growing profile of Afro Plus Fest as a major entertainment event for the African and Caribbean diaspora.
The festival had earlier announced Nigerian music star Davido as its Friday headliner, while Jamaican dancehall artiste Alkaline performed on Saturday. Wizkid took centre stage on Sunday.
Other artistes featured at the festival included Lil Baby, Latto, Tems, Ayra Starr, Tiwa Savage, Olamide and Adekunle Gold.
Described as the largest Afro-Caribbean-Hip Hop festival, the 2026 edition was expanded to three days and featured two stages. Organisers projected an attendance of about 40,000 fans daily.
Speaking about the event’s development in an earlier statement, Founder and Executive Producer, Michael Awosanya, said:
“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.
