The Headies organisers have responded to allegations of excluding gospel artistes from major award categories. They claim that faith-based musicians have competed for and won mainstream honours in the past. This response comes after Nigerian gospel singer Gaise Baba wrote an open letter accusing the awards of relegating gospel music to separate categories.

Gaise Baba had also expressed concerns about the handling of the Inspirational Music category, which he was nominated for. The Headies stated that their records contradict claims of deliberate exclusion from major categories. Further details on the matter can be found in the statement shared on the Headies' official Instagram page.

The dispute highlights concerns about the representation of gospel artistes in mainstream award categories.