AFRIMA 2025: Burna Boy, Davido, Rema among top nominees

The organisers of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) on Wednesday released the nominees’ list for the 2025 edition, featuring some of the continent’s biggest stars, including Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, El Grande Toto, Fally Ipupa, Shallipopi, Ayra Starr, Moliy, Jux, and Senegal’s Mia Guissé.

According to AFRIMA’s PR and Media Relations Manager, Michael Osunnuyi, the 2025 edition recorded 10,717 entries — the highest since the award’s inception 12 years ago. After a 10-day adjudication process, a 13-member jury shortlisted 343 nominees across 40 categories, representing Africa’s five regions and the diaspora.

Burna Boy and Davido lead with five nominations each, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. They are joined by South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa and Morocco’s El Grande Toto, who also secured five nominations apiece. Female acts Moliy (Ghana) and Mia Guissé (Senegal) matched them with five nods, underscoring the rising influence of women in African music.

Shallipopi received four nominations, including Artiste of the Year, alongside Egypt’s Amr Diab, Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz, South Africa’s Tyla, and Eswatini’s Uncle Waffles. Rema, Côte d’Ivoire’s Himra, Gabon’s Eboloko, and DR Congo’s Fally Ipupa were each nominated in three categories.

The diaspora category features international stars such as DJ Snake, Aya Nakamura, Darkoo, and Deborah Lukalu.

Public voting opens worldwide on September 10 via AFRIMA’s official website and closes on November 30, the eve of the awards.

AFRIMA jury member Delani Makhalima described the nominees’ list as evidence of Africa’s growing cultural 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.

AFRIMA 2025, organised in partnership with the African Union Commission, the Federal Government, and Lagos State as host city, will run from November 25 to 30.

The week-long celebration will feature a welcome soiree, AFRIMA Music Village, the Africa Music Business Summit, and a nominees’ party, culminating in the grand awards ceremony on November 30, to be broadcast live in 84 countries.