Renowned Nigerian music icon, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, is set to lead a host of celebrated African artistes and industry leaders at the AFRIMA 2025 Music Conference, scheduled to hold in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 13 to 14 May 2025.
The two-day conference, to be hosted at the African Union (AU) Headquarters, is organised by the African Union Commission in partnership with the International Committee of the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). It will mark the official unveiling of the AFRIMA 2025 calendar and the announcement of the host city for the forthcoming awards ceremony.
Joining 2Baba at the conference are a host of other notable performers and stakeholders in the African music scene, including South African star Makhadzi, Kenyan songstress Nikita Kering, Ghanaian reggae and dancehall artiste Stonebwoy, Ugandan singer Eddy Kenzo, Ethiopian producer and Bana Records CEO Bien Mekonnen, AFRIMA’s Regional Director Mike Strano, and UK-based Mamba Sounds founder Leo Fakhrul.
Themed “Music Beyond Borders”, the conference will examine the global impact of African music and the vast potential of the continent’s creative industries. Key sessions on the programme include “Borderless Beats: The Future of African Music in a Globalised World” and “Unlocking and Monetising Africa’s Music Economy”, both aimed at shaping the policy, partnerships, and financial frameworks for sustainable growth within Africa’s music ecosystem.
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The first day of the conference will culminate in the AFRIMA Dinner & Social Networking Event , an exclusive gathering of AU dignitaries, music legends, policymakers, and creatives, designed to promote cross-sector collaboration and celebrate Africa’s musical diversity.
Delegates will also embark on a cultural tour of Addis Ababa on the second day, visiting historic landmarks, museums, and creative hubs in a bid to showcase Ethiopia’s cultural heritage to an international audience.
Commenting on the significance of the event, AFRIMA’s Ethiopia Country Director, Eyob Alemayehu, said:
“The unveiling of the AFRIMA 2025 Calendar and Host City is not just the beginning of another award season; it is a strong statement that Africa’s creative industry is moving forward.”
