AFRIMA 2025: Burna Boy, Davido, Shallipopi lead nominees list | full list of nominees
Aug 28, 2025
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The countdown to the 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has officially begun, and the competition
is shaping up to be one of the fiercest in the award’s history.
On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the International Committee of AFRIMA, in partnership with the African
Union Commission, unveiled the nominees’ list for this year’s edition. Heavyweights like Davido, Burna
Boy, Fally Ipupa, El Grande Toto, DJ Maphorisa, and Amr Diab are set to battle it out with rising stars
such as Shallipopi, Himra, Moliy, Ayra Starr, Juma Jux, and Senegal’s Mia Guissé.
According to the organizers, AFRIMA 2025 received an unprecedented 10,717 submissions, the highest in
its 12-year history. After 10 days of intense screening, a 13-member jury narrowed the field down to
343 nominees across 40 categories, representing Africa’s diverse regions and its diaspora.
AFRIMA jury member Delani Makhalima praised the lineup as proof of the global power of African music:
“For years our voices were not heard, but today African music is global. This is AFRIMA, the biggest
music entity on the continent.”
AFRIMA 2025 will take place in Lagos from November 25 to 30, featuring signature events like the AFRIMA
Music Village, the Africa Music Business Summit, the Nominees Party, and the grand finale on November 30.
The awards night will be broadcast live to audiences in over 84 countries.
See full list of nominees below:
17 Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African Rock
S/NO ARTISTE TRACK TITLE COUNTRY
1 LAEKE ESKENEKA ETHIOPIA
2 IZLAN AMEZYAN ALGERIA
3 FRANCK BIYONG STRUGGLE 4 MONEY CAMEROON
4 RASH DO OR DIE KENYA
5 MDOU MOCTAR IMOUHAR NIGER
6 CHRISSY ZEBBY I AM NOT MADE OF IRON ZAMBIA
