The Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards 2026 nominees have officially been unveiled, paving the way for the seventh edition of the prestigious awards scheme that honours excellence in Ghana’s entertainment and creative industry.

The annual event has become one of the country’s recognised platforms for celebrating entertainers, creative professionals and industry stakeholders whose contributions continue to shape Ghana’s vibrant arts and entertainment landscape.

Founder of the awards, Abena Ghana, said the initiative was born out of a desire to appreciate the dedication and hard work of both on-screen personalities and the many professionals working behind the scenes.

According to her, the entertainment industry deserves a platform that consistently recognises talent, creativity, commitment and the positive influence individuals make through their work.

“I started the entertainment awards because I believe those who work tirelessly behind the scenes and in front of the camera deserve to be recognised and celebrated. Entertainment is a powerful industry, and I wanted to create a platform that highlights talent, dedication, creativity and the impact people make while inspiring others to pursue their dreams,” she said.

Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards 2026 continues to grow

Speaking on the growth of the awards, Abena Ghana explained that what began as a vision to recognise talented individuals has developed into a respected awards scheme with greater reach, improved credibility and wider industry participation.

She noted that although the awards have expanded over the years by refining their processes and increasing the number of categories, the primary mission of celebrating excellence has remained unchanged.

She added that the awards have become an important platform for giving deserving entertainers greater visibility while encouraging professionals across the creative industry to maintain high standards of excellence.

Competitive nomination process

The organisers disclosed that the Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards 2026 nominees were selected after an intensive evaluation process, describing this year’s competition as one of the strongest in the history of the awards.

According to the organisers, nominees were assessed based on several key factors, including:

• Talent
• Excellence
• Consistency
• Professionalism
• Career achievements
• Industry influence
• Overall contribution to Ghana’s entertainment industry

Abena Ghana explained that an independent jury carefully examined the quality of each nominee’s work, their consistency and the impact they made within the eligibility period before making the final selections.

Although no additional categories have been introduced this year, she expressed confidence that the nominees represent some of the finest talents currently driving Ghana’s entertainment industry.

Notable nominees

Among the personalities nominated for the Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards 2026 are:

• Abena Kyei Boakye
• Maybel Okyere
• Odehyieba Priscilla
• Jeneral Ntatia
• Quecyofficial
• Kwaku Power
• Ama Oduma Odoom
• Oheneba Jude
• Rosegold
• Afia Sikapa

Several other entertainers and creative professionals have also earned nominations across multiple award categories.

Awards night scheduled for September

The organisers have encouraged fans and industry stakeholders to anticipate an exciting and highly competitive awards season leading up to the main ceremony.

Abena Ghana believes this year’s nominees have all made remarkable contributions to the entertainment industry, promising a memorable celebration of excellence.

The Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards 2026 will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Estees Bee Event Centre at the East Legon Underbridge.

Activities for the evening will begin with the red carpet at 6:00 p.m., followed by the main awards ceremony at 8:00 p.m.

Headline sponsor recognised

The organisers also expressed appreciation to Nana Otafregya Owusu Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer of Time Herbal Mixture, for serving as the headline sponsor of the awards over the past seven years.

According to the organisers, his consistent sponsorship and commitment have been instrumental in the growth and success of the Ghana Arts and Entertainment Awards, helping the event become one of Ghana’s respected entertainment awards platforms.

Ghanaian dancehall artiste Stonebwoy has opened up about the life-changing accident that nearly led to the amputation of his leg, revealing how the experience shaped his journey to becoming a successful musician.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Africa, Stonebwoy recalled the tragic incident that occurred on Sunday, January 19, 2003, when he was travelling with his father from Ashaiman to Akrabang.

According to the award-winning musician, he was still a young and vibrant teenager at the time and had plans to travel to the United States before the accident changed the course of his life.

“I wasn’t Stonebwoy by then. I was just a bubbly teenager who was travelling one Sunday with my dad. We were on our way from Ashaiman to Akrabang when we got into an accident,” he said.

Stonebwoy explained that the crash affected his dreams and left him facing a difficult recovery period. He spent about four months in the hospital and later had to continue seeking medical care while living with a damaged knee.

“I was in the hospital for, give and take, four months straight, and then coming back in and out. I had to live with a stiff knee. It was damaged for about 13 years,” he revealed.

The “Putuu” hitmaker said his condition was eventually treated in Germany in 2016, where he underwent surgery that involved a total knee replacement and the fitting of an artificial prosthesis.

“I had my surgery in Germany in 2016 and got the whole artificial prosthesis and a total knee replacement. We had to replace it,” Stonebwoy added.

Despite the physical challenges, Stonebwoy said he continued working hard and pursuing his music career, describing the experience as part of God’s plan for his life.

“Looking back, I believe all that experience was for a reason. It was like God taking me through something to become what He wanted me to become. Even while I was going through it, I was still hustling,” he said.

Stonebwoy’s story has become an inspiration to many, as he continues to use his journey of resilience and determination to motivate others facing challenges.

Ghanaian Afro-dancehall artiste Stonebwoy has revealed that some of his children do not enjoy watching his music videos because they are uncomfortable with the presence of female models featured in them.

The award-winning musician said his children have become closely connected to his creative process and often pay attention to the decisions he makes in his music career.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Africa, Stonebwoy explained that his daughter sometimes questions why women appear around him in his music videos.

“My daughter will watch a music video and tell her mom, ‘Why is this girl around my dad?’ She actually hates that,” he said.

According to the “Nominate” hitmaker, his children have grown up around music because they frequently spend time with him in the studio. Their exposure to his work has allowed them to understand the creative process and even contribute ideas.

Stonebwoy recalled recording his song “Silent Samurai” while his children were present in the studio. He said they quickly adapted to understanding what he was doing, despite their young ages.

“The time I recorded Silent Samurai in the studio, they were there, and they’ve quickly adapted to what their dad does, even at the ages of seven and eight,” he explained.

The musician added that his son once listened carefully to one of his songs and suggested a slight adjustment to one of the lines because he believed it would make the song better.

Stonebwoy noted that the early exposure to music has influenced his children’s ambitions, revealing that his son has expressed interest in becoming a musician like him.

He said when his son is asked about his future plans, he confidently says he wants to pursue music.

Beyond music and family, Stonebwoy also raised concerns about the growing lack of privacy faced by public figures.

The musician criticised the habit of people taking photos or recording celebrities without seeking permission, describing it as an increasing problem in society.

“One thing that actually annoys me is the invasion of privacy becoming a normal part of society. Anybody who sees you anywhere pulls out a phone first. There’s no, ‘Hello, can I please take a picture?’” he said.

Stonebwoy acknowledged that many people act out of excitement, but stressed that celebrities are also human beings who deserve respect and personal space.

“The excuse is that it’s out of excitement, but we are humans as well. When the tables turn, nobody is doing that to them,” he added.

Award-winning Ghanaian rapper M.anifest has criticised the growing use of artificial intelligence to create songs, arguing that musicians who rely entirely on AI prompts are stripping music of its human creativity.

Speaking during an interview on Woezor TV on July 29, 2026, M.anifest slams AI-generated songs by insisting that artificial intelligence should support the creative process rather than replace it.

According to the rapper, AI has a place in music production, but allowing it to generate complete songs undermines genuine artistic expression.

“I’m not trying to downplay it. It’s good for a lot of things. But I’m against it when it comes to the creative side. Use AI for things like production. But making songs with prompts? That’s terrible. You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said.

The award-winning musician stressed that while technology can improve production quality, the heart of music should always come from human imagination and originality.

He questioned whether songs created entirely by artificial intelligence can truly be considered art.

“I want to call out some people I’ve seen even in Ghana using prompts to do this. Letting AI write your whole songs. Where’s the human involvement? Without human involvement, is it art? It’s just artificial,” M.anifest said.

The rapper explained that he is not opposed to technological advancement but believes musicians should use AI responsibly without replacing their own creativity.

Beyond his concerns about creativity, M.anifest slams AI-generated songs by urging digital streaming platforms to clearly identify music created primarily through artificial intelligence.

He said listeners should have the freedom to decide whether they want to consume AI-generated music, comparing the proposal to the “Parental Advisory” labels previously used for albums containing explicit content.

“I think there should be freedom of choice. If you like AI music, that’s fine. But it should be identified as such. Then you have the option to decide if you like it or not,” he stated.

M.anifest also suggested that streaming platforms should introduce a feature allowing users to filter out AI-generated music from recommendations and playlists.

“Me personally, I would like to ban AI artists from my DSP. There should be a button where, if you don’t want to hear AI-generated music, it doesn’t appear. Those who want to hear it can. I have no interest in listening to AI-generated music,” he added.

Despite his strong criticism, the rapper reiterated that he supports artificial intelligence when it is used to enhance technical aspects of creative work, such as production, editing and post-production.

However, he maintained that AI should never replace the artist’s imagination, originality and emotional input.

With debates over artificial intelligence continuing to reshape the global music industry, M.anifest slams AI-generated songs as a reminder that, in his view, authentic music must always begin with human creativity.

Ghanaian dancehall superstar Shatta Wale has opened up about why he has remained an independent artiste throughout his career, revealing that learning every aspect of the music business made him less dependent on traditional record labels.

The award-winning musician said his decision to stay independent was driven by his ability to manage key areas of his career, including music production, mixing, mastering, promotion and digital distribution, without relying on a record company.

According to Shatta Wale, taking full control of his music business has enabled him to generate income, save money and invest in other profitable ventures over the years.

Speaking about his journey, the On God hitmaker explained that he realised he was already performing many of the responsibilities typically handled by record labels.

“I found out I was doing everything a record label needed. Producing my own beats, mixing them, mastering them, doing my own flyers, uploading them on YouTube myself and on other stores myself because I’m a tech person, so I learnt all those things,” he said.

Shatta Wale noted that acquiring these skills gave him the confidence to run his career independently while building financial stability.

“I saw it from like 10 years ago that I could run myself properly and make money. I’ve been able to build that, save that money, even venture into playing games on my phone and winning bigger money with the same money. So I’ve flipped the money,” he stated.

Despite his preference for independence, the dancehall star acknowledged that record labels can play a significant role in helping musicians achieve international success through funding, marketing and industry connections.

However, he cautioned artistes to carefully understand the financial obligations and ownership arrangements that often accompany record deals.

“The advantage is that they can push you to become a superstar, but it’s up to you to maintain it. The money they put into you, you have to put it at the back of your mind that they are going to get a lot from you,” he explained.

Shatta Wale added that his years of experience in the music industry, coupled with ownership of his music catalogue and master recordings, have strengthened his position should he decide to partner with a record label in the future.

He stressed that retaining control over his music rights remains a top priority in any potential business agreement.

Shatta Wale’s remarks highlight his long-standing advocacy for artiste independence and underscore the importance of understanding the business side of the music industry before signing any record deal.

Source:Pulse