The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) International Committee has officially released the nominees list for its 2025 edition on Wednesday, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC). The nominations feature seasoned African superstars, including Davido, Burna Boy, El Grande Toto, Amr Diab, Fally Ipupa, Rema, and DJ Maphorisa, competing alongside emerging talents such as Shallipopi, Himra, Molly, Ayra Starr, Juma Jux, and Mia Guissé.
According to AFRIMA’s official statement, the 2025 nominations were selected from a record-breaking 10,717 entries – the highest number received since the awards’ establishment 12 years ago. Following 10 days of intensive review, a 13-member International Jury narrowed down the submissions to 343 nominees spanning 40 categories, with representation from all five African regions and the diaspora. The Committee has announced that global public voting will commence on September 10, 2025, through the official AFRIMA website at www.afrima.org. Fans and music enthusiasts across Africa and the diaspora will have the opportunity to influence the outcome in all categories, with voting scheduled to conclude on November 30, just before the main awards ceremony.
Five-Nomination Leaders
Leading the pack with five nominations each are Nigeria’s superstars Burna Boy and Davido, whose albums ‘No Sign of Weakness’ and ‘5ive’ respectively earned Album of the Year nods alongside their hit singles competing in Song of the Year and Best Collaboration categories. Matching their achievement, South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa also secured five nominations, including Best African DJ and Album of the Year recognition.
Morocco’s rap sensation El Grande Toto joined the five-nomination club with his album ‘Salgoat’ and hit single ‘Diplomatico’, gaining international acclaim. Female representation was strong in this top tier, with Senegal’s Mia Guissé and Ghana’s Molly each earning five nominations, demonstrating the growing influence of women artists across the continent’s music scene.
Four-Nomination Contenders
Nigeria’s street-pop rising star Shallipopi impressed with four nominations, including prestigious Artiste of the Year and Song of the Year recognition for his collaboration ‘Laho’. Egypt’s Amr Diab, one of the Middle East’s best-selling artists, also secured four nods, while Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz continued his East African dominance with four nominations.
The Amapiano and Afro-house movements gained recognition through South Africa’s breakout star Tyla and Eswatini’s Uncle Waffles, who each earned four nominations, confirming these genres’ rising global influence.
Three-Nomination Artists
Several artists secured three nominations each, showcasing Africa’s musical diversity. Côte d’Ivoire’s Himra earned Album of the Year recognition for ‘Big Aka 4 Aka Kai’, establishing himself as one of the year’s strongest newcomers through his hip-hop collaborations.
DR Congo’s veteran artists Fally Ipupa and Ferre Gola both received three nominations, with Ipupa competing for Artiste of the Year and Ferre Gola earning Songwriter of the Year recognition. Côte d’Ivoire’s Didi B secured three nods, including Best Male Artiste in West Africa, while Gabon’s Eboloko and Emma’a each earned three nominations, with Emma’a competing for Best Female Artiste in Central Africa.
Regional representation continued with Morocco’s Jaylann and Tanzania’s Juma Jux each receiving three nominations, with Juma Jux’s ‘Ololufe mi’ competing for Song of the Year. South Africa contributed triple nominees Mawhoo, recognised for her hit ‘Bengicela,’ and rap star Nasty C, who earned three nods for his track ‘Soft.’
Rising Stars and Diaspora Representation
Nigeria’s Ayra Starr, despite having two nominations, stands as a formidable contender in the highly competitive Artiste of the Year category alongside Davido, Burna Boy, and El Grande Toto.
The diaspora community shone brightly with extensive representation. Male nominees include DJ Snake, Gazo, Niska, Tayc, Tiakola, Tif, Werenoi, WizTheMC, L’Algérino, and Odeal, while female diaspora artists featured Aya Nakamura, Annatoria, Choisie Basolua, Darkoo, Deborah Lukalu, Faouzia, Ronisia, The Unveiled, Theodora, and Zaho, demonstrating the global reach of African musical influence.
Industry Recognition and Vision
AFRIMA jury member Delani Makhalima, representing the Southern African region, praised the 2025 nominees as evidence of African music’s remarkable evolution. “It’s been a dream of ours for a long time to work this hard to get to a place where African music can be heard by everyone. We were marginalised for so many years; our voices were not heard as artists, as creators, as songwriters, as producers, as engineers, as video makers, as filmmakers,” he reflected.
Makhalima emphasised the awards’ significance in the continent’s musical journey: “Twelve years in, we’re now here. This is global. This is AFRIMA, the biggest music entity on the face of the continent.”
Grand Celebration Details
The 2025 AFRIMA celebration is being organised in partnership with the African Union Commission, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the official host city, Lagos State. The six-day festivities will run from November 25 to 30, 2025, featuring an array of events including the Welcome Soiree, AFRIMA Music Village, Africa Music Business Summit, Host City Tour, Nominees Party, and the highly anticipated Main Awards Ceremony.
Global Reach and Impact
The celebration will begin on November 30 with the grand finale awards ceremony, which will be broadcast live to over 84 countries worldwide, cementing AFRIMA’s position as Africa’s premier music recognition platform and showcasing the continent’s incredible musical talent to a global audience.
With record-breaking submissions, diverse nominations spanning all African regions and the diaspora, and unprecedented international reach, AFRIMA 2025 stands as a testament to African music’s unstoppable rise on the world stage.
