Lagos, FirstBank, Guinness, POP Beach Club, and others headline 9th AFRIMA sponsorship, supporting African music, culture, and creative industries in 2026
The Lagos State Government, First Bank of Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria, The Address Homes, the Government of Sweden, Gobet247, Utilita, and several other major organisations have confirmed their sponsorship of the 9th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), set to take place from January 7 to 11, 2026, in Lagos.
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AFRIMA, organised in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), unveiled a robust sponsorship line-up reflecting growing confidence in African music as a major cultural and economic force.
The 2026 edition, themed “Unstoppable Africa,” has attracted support from finance, real estate, beverages, digital platforms, media, hospitality, and international cultural institutions.
Lagos will once again serve as the Official Host City, reinforcing its position as Africa’s creative and entertainment hub.
The African Union Commission remains AFRIMA’s legacy institutional partner, supporting the awards’ mission to promote African music and culture globally.
National Gold Sponsors include digital payments and lifestyle platform Utilita and gaming brand Gobet247. National Silver Partners comprise First Bank of Nigeria, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), and The Address Homes, while Guinness Nigeria joins as the Official Beer Sponsor.
International cultural support comes from the British High Commission and the Embassy of Sweden, both serving as Cultural Exchange Partners.
In travel and hospitality, Wakanow, Pan Atlantic Travels, and Dorf Travels & Tours are Official Travel Partners. Vaniti Lagos and Knowhere Restaurant will host nominees and guests as Hospitality Partners, with Mainland Block Party Lagos providing street culture energy at the AFRIMA Music Village at Ikeja City Mall on January 9.
The awards also boast a strong coalition of media partners including DSTV/Multichoice, HIPTV, Afro Music Pop, Base FM, Beat FM, Classic FM, Hot FM, Kennis FM, Lagos Talks, Inspiration FM, Traffic Radio, Radio Lagos, Eko FM, Lasgidi FM, TVC, Legit.ng, The Culture Newspapers, and top OOH companies like MotoMedia, Yartview Ltd, and Plural Media.
Olayinka Ijabiyi, Acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications at FirstBank, highlighted the bank’s commitment to Africa’s creative industry through AFRIMA. H.E. Anna Westerholm, Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, praised the partnership as a celebration of African music’s global impact.
Yinka Bakare, Marketing and Innovations Director at Guinness Nigeria, reaffirmed the brand’s cultural legacy through its involvement. Dr. Bisi Onasanya of The Address Homes called AFRIMA a platform for African creativity, collaboration, and cultural expression.
Ms. Edwidge Goli, AFRIMA Director of Partnerships, described the sponsorship line-up as a historic vote of confidence in African music and talent, praising Lagos State Government and all partners for their support.
The 9th AFRIMA week will open with the Nominees and Guests Welcome Soirees on January 7, followed by the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS) on January 8 at Eko Convention Centre.
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The AFRIMA Music Village Concert and Diamond Showcase will take place on January 9 at Ikeja City Mall, culminating in the grand Awards Ceremony on January 11 at Eko Convention Centre, with a red carpet starting at 3:30 pm (WAT). The awards and live performances will be broadcast to over 84 countries worldwide.
Ibrahim Onipede is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
