The Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has announced the nominees for its 2025 edition, spotlighting some of the continent’s biggest stars and emerging voices in a year that marks a record-breaking milestone for African music.
Davido, Burna Boy, El Grande Toto, Rema, Fally Ipupa, Shallipopi, Himra, Moliy, Ayra Starr, Jux, and Mia Guissé are among the leading artistes shortlisted across 40 categories, representing Africa’s five regions and the diaspora.
Mr Michael Osunnuyi, AFRIMA’s PR and Media Relations Manager, disclosed in Lagos that the 2025 awards received 10,717 entries the highest in the organisation’s 12-year history. After a rigorous 10-day adjudication, a 13-member international jury shortlisted 343 nominees, reflecting the diversity and vibrancy of African music.
Burna Boy and Davido lead with five nominations each, including the coveted Album of the Year and Song of the Year categories. Morocco’s El Grande Toto, South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa, Senegal’s Mia Guissé, and Ghana’s Moliy also earned five nominations each, underlining the increasing influence of francophone and female artistes on the continental stage.
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Other notable contenders include Shallipopi, Egypt’s Amr Diab, Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz, South Africa’s Tyla, and Eswatini’s Uncle Waffles, each securing four nominations. The diaspora category features global acts such as DJ Snake, Aya Nakamura, Darkoo, and Deborah Lukalu, further showcasing Africa’s global reach.
AFRIMA jury member, Delani Makhalima, described the 2025 nominees list as a testament to the unstoppable rise of African music.
“In just 12 years, we’ve gone from being marginalised to becoming a global force. This is AFRIMA, the biggest music entity on the continent,” he said.
Public voting will open worldwide on 10 September via AFRIMA’s official website and close on 30 November, the eve of the main awards.
Organised in partnership with the African Union Commission, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and Lagos State as host city, AFRIMA 2025 will run from 25 to 30 November. The week-long celebration will include a Welcome Soiree, AFRIMA Music Village, Africa Music Business Summit, Nominees Party, and culminate in the grand awards ceremony, to be broadcast live across 84 countries.
AFRIMA continues to serve as a cultural bridge, celebrating African creativity while amplifying the continent’s voice on the global music stage.
