The Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), on Wednesday, unveiled its 2025 nominees featuring Davido, Burna Boy, El Grande Toto, Rema, Fally Ipupa, Shallipopi, Himra, Moliy, Ayra Starr, Jux, and Mia Guissé.

Michael Osunnuyi, the PR and media relations manager for AFRIMA, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos.

Mr Osunnuyi said that this year’s edition recorded 10,717 entries, the highest since AFRIMA’s inception 12 years ago.

“After a 10-day adjudication process, a 13-member international jury shortlisted 343 nominees across 40 categories, representing Africa’s five regions and the diaspora.”

Burna Boy and Davido lead the nominations with five each, including ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’, while South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa and Morocco’s El Grande Toto also secured five nominations apiece.

Senegal’s Mia Guissé and Ghana’s Moliy also have matched them with five nods each, highlighting the growing influence of female artistes on the continent’s music scene.

Shallipopi earned four nominations, including ‘Artiste of the Year’, while Egypt’s Amr Diab, Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz, Tyla from South Africa and Eswatini’s Uncle Waffles also bagged four nominations each.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Himra, Gabon’s Eboloko, DR Congo’s Fally Ipupa and Rema were among artistes with three nominations.

The diaspora category also features strong contenders, including DJ Snake, Aya Nakamura, Darkoo, and Deborah Lukalu.

Public voting will open globally on Sept. 10 via AFRIMA’s official website and will close on Nov. 30, the eve of the main awards.

AFRIMA jury member, Delani Makhalima, described the 2025 nominees list as proof of African music’s growing global dominance.

“In just 12 years, we’ve gone from being marginalised to becoming a global force. This is AFRIMA, the biggest music entity on the continent,” he said.

Organised in partnership with the African Union Commission, the federal government, and Lagos State as host city, AFRIMA 2025 will run from Nov. 25 to Nov. 30.

The week-long celebration will feature a Welcome Soiree, AFRIMA Music Village, the Africa Music Business Summit, Nominees Party, and culminate in the main awards ceremony on November 30, to be broadcast live across 84 countries.

(NAN)