Lagos named host city for AFRIMA 2025 as AU unveils event calendar
Lagos, Nigeria has been officially announced as the host city for the 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), following a declaration by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of AFRIMA. The announcement was made during a landmark event at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Tuesday, May 13.
The event also saw the unveiling of the official AFRIMA 2025 calendar, which outlines major activities leading up to the awards ceremony scheduled for November 25–30 in Lagos. This year’s edition will be held under the theme “Unstoppable Africa,” celebrating the growth and resilience of African music across the globe.
Angela Martins, Director for Social Development, Culture and Sport at the AUC, said Lagos was selected based on its strong track record in hosting global cultural events. She described the city as an energetic hub for African music, boasting the infrastructure and hospitality needed to deliver a successful edition of AFRIMA.
AFRIMA 2025 is expected to attract over 1,600 nominees, more than 60,000 visitors and delegates, 2,300 production crew members, and a global viewership exceeding 400 million across 84 countries. The live awards ceremony will be broadcast by 109 stations worldwide.
The call for entries will open on May 27 and close on August 8, 2025. Artists, producers, and music professionals across Africa and the diaspora are invited to submit their works via the official AFRIMA portal at www.afrima.org.
The #RoadToAFRIMA2025 tour will energize audiences across Africa and the diaspora with stops in Morocco, Tanzania, Paris, Côte d’Ivoire, London, Delta State (Nigeria), and Namibia. The adjudication process will run from August 12–19, with the nominee announcement set for August 27. Public voting will open on September 5 and close on November 28.
The AFRIMA Music Conference held alongside the announcement featured panel discussions on music monetization, intellectual property, cross-border collaboration, and the role of technology and artificial intelligence in African music’s global reach.
The AFRIMA 2025 Awards Week will take place from November 25 to 30, featuring the Diamond Showcase, Opening Soirée, Africa Music Business Summit, Music Icons’ Night, school visits, Host City Tour, Music Village Festival, Nominees & Industry Party, and the main Awards Ceremony.
