As the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), a prestigious pan-African initiative founded in 2013 by the International Committee of AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) continues to grow, it has evolved into a symbol of unity, pride, and creativity, bringing together talents — artistes, fans, industry professionals, media, and governments to honour the continent’s vibrant music scene.
This progression underscores the significance of the awards, not just as a celebration of talent but as a testament to the global impact of African music. Hence, the organisers’ of the awards firm believe in the power of music to inspire hope, foster unity, and celebrate African identity in the face of global challenges.
Its mission is to honour, celebrate, and promote musical excellence and creativity across Africa while preserving and showcasing the continent’s rich cultural heritage. Through the awards, festivals, and talent development initiatives, AFRIMA drives the expansion of Africa’s creative economy, positioning it as a dynamic engine for economic growth, social inclusion, and cultural unity across the continent.
Over the years, the partnership between AUC and AFRIMA has yielded significant successes. These include the implementation of the Revised AU Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries, the promotion of the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance, the organisation of the 2020 ‘Stronger Together’ online concert in support of the COVID-19 Response Fund, and joint advocacy for key African Union initiatives aligned with Agenda 2063 — positioning both the AUC and AFRIMA as Africa’s leading intergovernmental body and premier music awards platform, respectively.
Speaking at media parley at AFRIMA corporate office in Ikeja, Lagos on Monday, July 7, the President/Executive producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada noted that since its maiden edition in 2014, AFRIMA has served as a powerful platform to unite Africa through music, promoting inclusivity, economic empowerment, and global recognition.
He noted that in strategic partnership with the AUC, AFRIMA champions these goals through its seven foundational pillars: Music Awards, Music Festivals, Music Business Hub, The AFRIMA Kreative Academy (TAKA), Talent Discovery and Promotion, Foundation, CSR & CSA, Advisory and Policy Debates.
According to Dada, through the music awards, an annual event, AFRIMA recognise and celebrate the best in African music and showcase diverse range of African musical talents and cultural heritage via music festivals. He stated that the music business hub provides resources and support for music industry professionals, including legal advice, financial guidance, and networking opportunities.
“The AFRIMA Kreative Academy (TAKA) provides training and development opportunities for young African musicians and industry professionals, just as the platform actively searches for and promotes emerging African talents through its talent discovery and promotions strategy, helping them gain international recognition,” he said.
The President/ Executive Producer further notes that with its foundation, AFRIMA focuses on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and Community Support Activities (CSA) within its industry. These activities include promoting the music industry, supporting artistes, and engaging with communities through various events and initiatives.
He added that through the advisory and policy debates, the platform advocates for the rights of African artistes, promotes policies that support the growth of the African music industry and offers advice to policymakers.
As the countdown begins, music enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the announcement of the nominees and the chance to witness this year’s edition of the award with the theme: “Unstoppable Africa” to honour and celebrate the unstoppable richness of African music and creativity.
Scheduled for November 25-30 in Lagos, a vibrant city, known for its rich cultural heritage and infectious energy, the week-long festival with an immense socio-economic impact will be broadcast live to 84 countries on 109 television stations across the world.
Beyond serving as an award ceremony, the event will boost tourism, hospitality, and job creation, as over 1,600 nominees and teams, a 1,100-strong production crew, and an expected 400 million global broadcast audience will participate in the event.
On the choice of Lagos as host city, Dada explained that it hinged on the city’s status as the mecca of entertainment, music and the film industry in the Middle East and Africa.
“The right of hosting for AFRIMA 2025 was ceded to Lagos State in recognition of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s hard work, focus, love for creative industry and association with entertainment, which is one of the pillars of the T.H.E.M.E.S+ agenda,” he said.
“We request the right partnership and support to make AFRIMA hosted in Lagos. We need institutional support and financial support to host over 1,500 artistes and managers for the event, which we use to promote the cities of Africa and unite our people through music,” Dada added.
According to him, this year’s ceremony promises to be an unforgettable experience, with performances by some of Africa’s biggest names, as well as emerging artistes who are making waves in the music industry.
He urged fans and attendees to look forward to a week-long celebration of music, featuring concerts, workshops, and networking sessions with industry professionals from across the continent.
This year’s ceremony makes it the seventh time Nigeria and indeed Lagos will be host the awards — 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2021. The country retained the hosting rights, further establishing its foundational role in the platform’s early development.
In 2018, the Republic of Ghana hosted the awards in its capital city, Accra, before the event returned to Nigeria in 2019. The 2020 live edition was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, marking a temporary pause in AFRIMA’s annual celebration. However, a virtual concert with the theme: “Stronger Together” for the COVID-19 Response Fund was organised.
In 2021, AFRIMA made a strong comeback in Lagos, while in 2023, Senegal hosted awards for the first time, ushering in a new chapter and strengthening the award’s reputation as a truly continental celebration of African music and culture.
Meanwhile, the international 13-man jury of AFRIMA has expressed excitement over the high number of entries submitted so far for the 2025 edition of the awards. According to the jury, since the entry submission portal opened on Monday, May 27, music professionals and recording organisations from all over Africa and the diaspora have been sending in their works.
The entries are coming from artistes, songwriters, music producers, video directors, disc jockeys (DJs), dancers, recording companies and labels, choreographers, and even unrecorded talents.
Expressing deep satisfaction with the response received since the AFRIMA 2025 entry portal opened, a member of AFRIMA’s international jury, Delani Makhalima, a renowned song writer and music producer from Zimbabwe, representing Southern Africa region, described the turnout as not only impressive but also a clear reflection of the growing influence of the awards across the continent and around the world.
“We are truly excited and encouraged by the massive turnout since we opened the portal. It tells us that African artists, producers, songwriters, and other creatives believe in what AFRIMA stands for. They see this as more than just an award; it’s a movement and platform that gives their work international exposure, connects them to the industry globally, and validates the quality of their craft.
“The fact that so many people rushed to submit entries in just the first few days shows that African creatives are ready and eager to shine on the world stage. AFRIMA continues to be that trusted home where Africa’s talent is not just celebrated but also projected to a global audience,” he said.
Speaking in a similar vein, another jury member, Omar Essaidi from Morocco who is representing Northern Africa stressed that since 2013, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union (AU), has focused on promoting, developing, celebrating and rewarding African music and talents globally.
“We follow a clear and transparent process that includes screening, adjudication, voting, and auditing. AFRIMA’s schedule is very structured, and every stage must happen as scheduled. To ensure fairness and credibility, our process is audited by a globally renowned assurance firm,” he said.