Lagos, Nigeria, has once again been tapped to host the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in 2025, reaffirming the city’s status as a nerve center of African music and cultural innovation. Widely recognized for its vibrant music scene and as the birthplace of Afrobeat and Afrobeats, Lagos will now prepare to welcome artists, fans, and global stakeholders to what is widely considered Africa’s most prestigious music event.
The announcement was made on May 13 at a high-level event held at the African Union Commission (AUC) Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The gathering brought together top musicians from across the continent, government officials, cultural policy experts, and music industry leaders in a celebration of pan-African artistic achievement.
The hosting rights were formally conferred by the AUC in collaboration with the International Committee of AFRIMA, marking another milestone in the decade-long history of the awards.
Founded in 2013, AFRIMA honors outstanding musical talent and creativity from across Africa and the diaspora. With 37 award categories spanning regional and continental genres — including “Artiste of the Year” and “Best African Hip Hop” — the ceremony serves both as a celebration and an engine for economic and cultural development.
Beyond the awards, AFRIMA is a strategic platform for advancing key African Union initiatives, including the Revised AU Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries and the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance. Past milestones include the 2020 “Stronger Together” online concert in support of the African Union’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
According to the organizers, this year’s conference and ceremony would go beyond recognition, offering a space for musicians, executives, policymakers, and investors to forge strategic partnerships and shape the future of African music globally.
They see in music a powerful tool for shaping global narratives, connecting communities, driving economic empowerment, and positioning Africa as a force in global culture.
They also emphasized the industry’s growing complexity, pointing to the transformative impact of emerging technologies. Streaming, artificial intelligence, and new monetization models are revolutionizing not just how African music is created, but also how it is distributed and consumed worldwide.
Mike Dada, president and executive producer of AFRIMA, praised the African Union and the Ethiopian government for their support in hosting the unveiling. In a speech that underscored both unity and ambition, Dada described AFRIMA as more than an awards show — calling it a “cultural symbol” that fosters peace, job creation, and pan-African cohesion.
“What is important for us is to acknowledge the collaboration we have embarked upon, with the support and input from all of us across the continent—whether from Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia, or Namibia. We have come together to ensure we have a platform where we can all congregate to tell our stories through the medium of music. This is what it is all about,” he said. “It is not done by one person. It has been built by a collective—a collage of experts in the creative sector, particularly in the music industry—to ensure that we have an enduring platform called AFRIMA.”Dada reiterated that lasting success in the music industry is never the work of one, but of many. He praised the collective efforts behind Africa’s creative rise and restated AFRIMA’s founding mission: to transform African superstars into global icons.“We must harness everything Africa has to offer—and show the world our strengths,” Dada said. “This is central to AFRIMA’s vision. We encourage our artists to remain authentic to their roots.”
Delivering the keynote address, Angela Martins, Director for Social Development, Culture, and Sport at the African Union Commission, underscored AFRIMA’s enduring impact on the continent. She commended the platform for cultivating talent and using music as an engine for societal change.“
“Today is more than a calendar date. It’s a reaffirmation of the enduring partnership between the African Union and AFRIMA—and of our belief that music is not just sound. It is strategy, spirit, and social transformation,” she said.
Her speech struck a poetic chord as she invoked the power of music to transcend borders. “From Dakar to Dar es Salaam, from Accra to Addis Ababa, music flows like a river through our cultures—connecting, healing, and moving us forward. It gives freedom to our resistance, harmony to our hope, and power to our purpose.”
Martins emphasized that culture is a vital pillar of national identity and development. “African arts, culture, and heritage are not just symbolic—they are the heartbeat of the continent and the foundation of Agenda 2063,” she said. “Our music tells truths that must be heard, felt. It is education, advocacy, and empowerment.”
She pointed to AFRIMA’s role in turning music into a tool for job creation, tourism, and mindset shifts, particularly among youth. “Young people are Africa’s greatest asset,” she said.
Kenyan singer, actress, and media personality Nikita Chepchumba Kering’ joined the ceremony as a panelist, delivering a candid reflection on the legal and managerial gaps facing African artists.
“We struggle with inadequate legal representation and general legal literacy,” she said. “So many artists disappear after brief success—often due to signing ‘bad deals’ they didn’t fully understand. Even among managers, there’s a lack of knowledge on how to navigate these issues.”
Kering’ called on the African Union to lead efforts in harmonizing copyright and intellectual property frameworks across the continent. Fair compensation and robust creative protections, she said, are essential for the sustainability of Africa’s music sector.
Other panelists echoed this sentiment, emphasizing music’s broader role in promoting mental health awareness, gender equality, environmental protection, and inclusive cultural values.
Eyob Alemayhu, AFRIMA’s country director for Ethiopia, spoke with conviction about the awards’ impact. “AFRIMA is about elevating African artistry and preserving our cultural heritage,” he told The Reporter. “Through awards, festivals, and skill-building programs, we’re strengthening the creative economy and fostering unity and pride.”Eyob encouraged Ethiopia to champion its own rich musical legacy while embracing diversity across the continent. He also urged the Ethiopian government to invest more meaningfully in the music sector.“The AU’s involvement has been largely limited to policymaking,” he noted. “It’s time for all stakeholders to take more active roles in growing this industry—just as they do in agriculture or infrastructure.
With Lagos set to host AFRIMA 2025, anticipation is already building for what promises to be a landmark moment — not just for Nigerian music, but for the continent’s ever-expanding cultural footprint. Winners will once again receive the 23.9-carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy—an emblem of both prestige and progress. But more than awards, AFRIMA offers a platform for transformation: amplifying African voices, igniting innovation, and forging a future in which music drives economic and cultural resurgence across the continent.
