It’s another historical moment for Nigerian and African music as legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and veteran Nigerian-British singer Sade Adu are inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

The prominent musicians etch their names into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s history books, becoming the first Nigerian artistes to be inducted. Ahead of the ceremony to be held in Los Angeles on November 14th, 2026, both of them will be awarded alongside prominent names, including Oasis, MC Lyte, Wu-Tang Clan, Phil Collins, Queen Latifah, and Luther Vandross.

Fela Kuti, a revolutionary voice against socio-political injustice, was recognised in the Early Influence category for infusing jazz, West African, and soul music to pioneer the Afrobeat genre and lay the foundation for global music. He joins the likes of Gram Parsons, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Celia Cruz under the Early Influence category.

While Sade Adu was inducted into the Performer Category for her contributions in defining a unique blend of soul, jazz and pop that influenced contemporary global music, this award places her in the same category as Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan.

Other names inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame include Rick Rubin, Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, and Jimmy Miller in the Music Excellence category. And Ed Sullivan will posthumously be inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

Among this year’s finalists who did not make the final cut were fan-vote winner New Edition, Mariah Carey, Ms Lauryn Hill, P!nk, Jeff Buckley, INXS, Melissa Etheridge, and The Black Crowes.

This monumental recognition highlights the prominence of Nigerian musicians, who have pioneered global music, and reinforces moments like Fela Kuti’s Lifetime Achievement Award by the Grammys earlier this year.