Lagos hosts AFRIMA 2025, welcoming music stars and fans as Africa’s biggest music awards return with the theme ‘Unstoppable Africa’ in November
It is now official: Lagos will host the 2025 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), the continent’s biggest music celebration.
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The announcement, made by the African Union Commission and the International Committee of AFRIMA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, confirms the return of the prestigious awards to Nigeria’s commercial and entertainment capital from November 25 to 30, 2025.
Lagos hosts AFRIMA 2025 at a time when Africa’s creative industry is booming globally, and the event promises to gather leading musicians, rising talents, media professionals, government dignitaries, and fans from across the world for a spectacular week-long celebration.
Angela Martins, Director for Social Development, Culture and Sport at the African Union Commission, praised the selection of Lagos, citing its consistent excellence as host city in previous editions.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Themed Unstoppable Africa, the 2025 edition is expected to feature more than 1,600 nominated acts and their teams, over 60,000 delegates and music lovers, 2,300 production staff, and a potential global viewership exceeding 400 million.
According to the AFRIMA 2025 calendar released at the Addis Ababa event, the build-up will feature a series of key dates and activities.
Entry submissions opened on May 27 and will close on August 8 via the official portal at [www.afrima.org](http://www.afrima.org).
Musicians, producers, writers, and other creatives from across Africa and the diaspora are encouraged to enter.
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 .
The adjudication phase will take place from August 12 to 19.
The official nominee announcement is set for August 27, followed by a global voting phase from September 5 until November 28.
Public participation will help determine winners in dozens of categories.
The popular RoadToAFRIMA2025 tour will energise cities across the continent and beyond, kicking off in Morocco before stopping in Tanzania, Paris, Abidjan, London, and Delta State, Nigeria, before wrapping up in Namibia between October 31 and November 1.
AFRIMA Awards Week in Lagos promises a packed schedule. From November 25 to 30, festivities will include the Diamond Showcase, Opening Soirée, Africa Music Business Summit, school visits, Nominees Party, and the renowned AFRIMA Music Village/Festival.
The grand finale will be the Main Awards Ceremony on Sunday, November 30.
The 2025 AFRIMA Music Conference, held in May, set the tone for the months ahead.
Panel sessions tackled key topics such as African music’s future, global streaming strategies, IP law, monetisation, and the intersection of music with AI and new media.
With Nigeria leading the charge in Afrobeats and African pop culture, Lagos hosts AFRIMA 2025 with the ambition to reinforce its place as the continent’s creative capital.
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As the world watches, the city prepares to showcase Africa’s unstoppable musical energy on a global stage once again.
