The African Union Commission (AUC) has awarded the hosting rights for the 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) to Lagos, Nigeria, with the event scheduled to take place from November 25-30
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]agos, Nigeria, has been chosen by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of AFRIMA to host the 2025 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
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The event will welcome African music stars, creative industry professionals, international media, diplomats, and fans from around the world.
The African Union also revealed the AFRIMA 2025 Calendar at an event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, detailing the events, key dates, and milestones leading up to the finale in Lagos. The theme for AFRIMA 2025 is “Unstoppable Africa.”
Angela Martins, Director for Social Development, Culture and Sport at the African Union Commission, along with Jannet Hadadi from Morocco, announced Lagos as the host city. Martins cited Lagos’ consistent excellence in hosting major events as a key reason for the decision.
“I warmly congratulate the city of Lagos for being chosen to host AFRIMA 2025. The city truly reflects the spirit of African music full of rhythm, creativity, and vibrant energy.
I warmly congratulate the city of Lagos for being chosen to host AFRIMA 2025. The city truly reflects the spirit of African music full of rhythm, creativity, and vibrant energy.
Lagos has the right mix of modern facilities, good hospitality, strong media presence, and security and transport systems that make it ideal for hosting a major global event,” she said.
AFRIMA 2025 is expected to feature over 1,600 nominees, including their teams, over 60,000 visitors and delegates, more than 2,300 production crew members, and an audience of over 400 million viewers globally during the live broadcast.
Entry submissions for AFRIMA 2025 will open on May 27 and close on August 8, 2025. Artists, producers, songwriters, and other music professionals from across the continent and diaspora are encouraged to submit their works via the AFRIMA digital portal: www.afrima.org.
The AFRIMA 2025 Music Conference featured panel sessions on the future of African music, monetization, skill acquisition, intellectual property, technology, and global collaborations.
The #RoadToAFRIMA2025 Tour will visit cities across Africa and the diaspora, including Morocco, Tanzania, Paris, Cote d’Ivoire, London, Delta State in Nigeria, and Namibia.
The adjudication process will be held from August 12–19. The World Media Conference announcing the 2025 nominees is scheduled for August 27, and public voting will open on September 5 and close on November 28, 2025.
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The AFRIMA 2025 Awards Week, from November 25 to 30, will include events such as the Diamond Showcase (Nov 25–27), Opening Soirée (Nov 26), Africa Music Business Summit (Nov 27–28), Music Icons’ Night (Nov 27), school visits, the AFRIMA Music Village/Festival, Host City Tour and Luncheon Reception (Nov 28), the Nominees & Industry Party, and the Main Awards Ceremony on November 30. The Main Awards will be broadcast live on 109 stations in 84 countries.
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
