Nigerian music stars Divine ‘Rema’ Ikubor, Crown ‘Shallipopi’ Uzama and Damini ‘Burna Boy’ Ogulu have emerged as the biggest winners at the 9th edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the award ceremony, which brought together top artistes, producers and industry stakeholders from across Africa and the diaspora, was held on Sunday at the Eko Events Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
AFRIMA is an African-based music awards ceremony honouring African artistes and music produced in every region of the continent over the past one year. It celebrates their commercial success, cultural impact and growing global recognition since it was created in 2014.
Major wins
Rema continued his impressive run with three award wins, the most by any artiste on the AFRIMA awards night, confirming the crossover appeal of his songs beyond Nigeria’s borders. The ‘Calm Down’ singer edged South Africa’s Big Zulu, Morocco’s Manal and Nigeria’s Kunmie to win the ‘Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African RnB & Soul’ category for his hit song, ‘Baby (Is It A Crime)’.
Similarly, the Mavin signee also won the Best Male Artiste in Western Africa award ahead of Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Asake and Ghana’s Black Sherif. Rema further cemented his reign on the night after winning one of the most coveted categories at the AFRIMA awards, Artiste of the Year.
Closely following Rema in the awards tally was Shallipopi, who bagged two awards from the four nominations he earlier received. The Plutomania Records artiste won ‘Best African Collaboration’ for ‘Laho II’ featuring Burna Boy and ‘Song of the Year’ for his hit single, ‘Laho’.
Moreover, Burna Boy also recorded success with his 2025 album, ‘No Sign of Weakness’, winning the Album of the Year category, beating Davido (‘5ive’), South Africa’s Kelvin Momo (‘Thato Ya Modimo’), Côte d’Ivoire’s Didi B (‘Diyilem & Bazarhoff: Genius’), and Morocco’s El Grande Toto (‘Salgoat’).
Yemi Alade bagged Best Soundtrack in Movie, Series, or Documentary for ‘You Are’ (Iyanu: The Animated Series), while Phyno won Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African Hip-Hop.
Chella emerged winner of the ‘African Fans’ Favourite’ category, beating BNXN, Rema, Kizz Daniel and Faceless.
Meanwhile, Qing Madi and Valorant won ‘Most Promising Artiste of the Year’ for their hit single, ‘EGO’, while Ethiopian Weeha beat Wizkid to clinch ‘Best African Dance/Choreography’ for ‘Dimama’.
AFRIMA 2025 event
Moreover, AFRIMA organisers also honoured entertainment legends Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye with Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The grand ceremony opened with an energetic rap session by the event’s host, Falz, before he was later joined by Phyno to kick off the night’s entertainment.
The awards night was further ignited by performances from Shallipopi, Gaise Baba, Phyno, Falz, Kunmie, Adewale Ayuba, Patoranking and Qing Madi, who thrilled the excited crowd.
Across the five-day celebration, the 9th AFRIMA delivered a lineup of key events, including the Welcome Soiree on 7 January, the Africa Music Business Summit on 8 January, Host City Tour and CSR Visit, the Music Village Concert on 9 January, the Nominees and Industry Party on 10 January, and the Red Carpet and Grand Awards Night on 11 January 2026.
According to the award organisers, Sunday’s ceremony was broadcast live to more than 84 countries.
FULL LIST
REGIONAL CATEGORY
Best Male Artist in Central Africa
• C4 Pedro (Angola)
• Eboloko (Gabon)
• Gims (DRC)
• Gerilson Insrael (Angola)
• Kocee (Cameroon)
• L’Oiseau Rare (Gabon)
• Fally Ipupa (DRC)
• Magasco (Cameroon)
• Singuila (The Congo) – WINNER
• Werrason (DRC)
Best Female Artiste in Central Africa
• Anna Joyce (Angola)
• Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)
• Charlotte Dipanda (Cameroon)
• Cindy Le Coeur (DRC) – WINNER
• Deborah Lukalu (DRC)
• Emma’a (Gabon)
• Jessy B (The Congo)
• Krys M (Cameroon)
• Liriany (Angola)
• Rebo (DRC)
Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa
• Bien (Kenya)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Element Eleéh (Rwanda)
• Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
• Juma Jux (Tanzania) – WINNER
• Marioo (Tanzania)
• Mbosso (Tanzania)
• Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
• Sat-B (Burundi)
• Yared Negu (Ethiopia)
Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa
• Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
• Bridget Blue (Kenya)
• Denise (Madagascar) – WINNER
• Haleluya Tekletsadik (Ethiopia)
• Lady Jaydee (Tanzania)
• Mahlet Wendimu (Ethiopia)
• Salemia (Ethiopia)
• Weeha (Ethiopia)
• Winnie Nwagi (Uganda)
• Zuchu (Tanzania)
Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa
• A.L.A. (Tunisia)
• Adviser (Mauritania) – WINNER
• Amr Diab (Egypt)
• Cheb Momo (Algeria)
• El Grande Toto (Morocco)
• Hamza Namira (Egypt)
• Lbenj (Morocco)
• Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
• Stormy (Morocco)
• Wegz (Egypt)
Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa
• Chirine Lajmi (Tunisia)
• Inez (Morocco)
• Jannat (Egypt)
• Jaylann (Morocco)
• Manal (Morocco)
• Meryem Aboulouafa (Morocco)
• Sherine (Egypt) – WINNER
• Zina Daoudia (Morocco)
Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa
• Anderson Mário (Mozambique)
• Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
• Manana (Eswatini)
• Nasty C (South Africa)
• Teddy Makadi (Malawi)
• Tyler ICU (South Africa)
• Wanitwamos (South Africa)
• Yo Maps (Zambia) – WINNER
• Zeze Kingston (Malawi)
• Kazba De Small (South Africa)
Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa
• Babalwa M (South Africa)
• Hanna (Zimbabwe)
• Makhadzi (South Africa)
• Nkosazana Daughter (South Africa)
• Nontokozo Mkhize (South Africa) – WINNER
• Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)
• Temwah (Malawi)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (Eswatini)
• Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)
Best Male Artiste in Western Africa
• Asake (Nigeria)
• Axel Merryl (Benin)
• Black Sherif (Ghana)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• Didi B (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Djodje (Cape Verde)
• Rema (Nigeria) – WINNER
• VJ (Senegal)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
Best Female Artiste in Western Africa
• Amaarae (Ghana)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Djelykaba Bintou (Guinea)
• Josey (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Mariam Ba Lagaré (Mali)
• Mia Guissé (Senegal)
• Moliy (Ghana)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
• Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
• Wendy Shay (Ghana) – WINNER
CONTINENTAL CATEGORY
Best Male Artiste in African Inspirational Music
• Christian Mukuna (DRC)
• Djunny Beatz (Mozambique)
• Gaise Baba (Nigeria)
• Israel Mbonyi (Rwanda)
• Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
• Joel Lwaga (Tanzania)
• Kocee (Cameroon)
• Lawrence Oyor (Nigeria)
• Milo (Côte d’Ivoire) – WINNER
• Sjava (South Africa)
Best Female Artiste in African Inspirational Music
• Ada Ehi (Nigeria)
• Choisie Basolua (DRC)
• Krys M (Cameroon)
• Martha Mwaipaja (Tanzania)
• Mercy Chinwo (Nigeria)
• Morijah (Côte d’Ivoire) – WINNER
• Nontokozo Mkhize (South Africa)
• Roseline Layo (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Vestine & Dorcas (Rwanda)
Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African Jazz
• Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Ghana)
• Haddinqo (Ethiopia) – WINNER
• Mádé Kuti (Nigeria)
• Rorisang Sechele (South Africa)
• Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane (South Africa)
• The Cavemen (Nigeria)
• Alune Wade (Senegal)
• Nomfundo Xaluva (South Africa)
• Kyle Shepherd Trio (South Africa)
Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Contemporary
• Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
• Axel Merryl (Benin) – WINNER
• Espe Bass (Congo B)
• Bien (Kenya)
• Jaylann (Morocco)
• Kizz Daniel, Angélique Kidjo & Johnny Drille (Nigeria)
• Mbosso (Tanzania)
• Ferre Gola & Rayvanny (DRC)
• Didine Canon 16 (Algeria)
• Wendy Shay (Ghana)
Best Soundtrack in Movie, Series, or Documentary
• Igho’le Trap Mix Version (“To Kill a Monkey”: Series) – Oscar Heman-Ackah (Ghana)
• El Ma2as (“The Start”: Film) – Tamer Hosny, Reda Elbahrawy (Egypt)
• You Are (“Iyanu”: The Animated Series) – Yemi Alade (Nigeria) – WINNER
• Timpi Tampa (“Timpi Tampa”: The Film) – Ismaël Lo (Senegal)
• Tori Ife (“Seven Doors”: Series) – Tolu Obanro (Nigeria)
• Saatte Ragouj (“The Last of the Mohicans” Film) – Kafon (Tunisia)
Songwriter of the Year
• Bakhaw Dioum – “Choix” (Mia Guissé ft. Wally B. Seck) (Senegal)
• Emel, Jehanny Beth & Camille Berthomier – “Fall in the Light” (Tunisia)
• Emma’a – “Trop d’amour” (Gabon)
• Emmanuel Ayobami Alli-Hakeem – “Za” (Anendlessocean) (Nigeria)
• Ferre Gola – “Amour Illusoire” (DRC)
• Mohammed Ismail Sharrif – “Rebel Music” (Black Sherif) (Ghana)
• Mugisha Fred Robinson – “Tombé” (Element Eleéh) (Rwanda)
• Olamide Adedeji – “Hassibunallah” (Olamide) (Nigeria)
• Prince Omoferi & Nwamu Francis Chukwudubem – “It Hurts” (Johnny Drille & Don Jazzy) (Nigeria)
• Victor Ngatuvese Kaune – “Oputuri ‘Queens’” (One Blood Namibia) (Namibia)
READ ALSO: Davido, Burna Boy, Shallipopi, others dominate AFRIMA 2025 nominations (FULL LIST)
African Fans’ Favourite
• Ali Jita (Nigeria)
• Barnaba (Tanzania)
• BNXN & Rema (Nigeria)
• Chella (Nigeria) – WINNER
• Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
• Innoss’b (DRC)
• Kizz Daniel (Nigeria)
• Parazar (Algeria)
• Faceless (Nigeria)
• Tul8te (Egypt)
Best African DJ
• DJ Malvado (Angola)
• DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)
• DJ Moh Green (Algeria) – WINNER
• DJ Mombochi (The Congo)
• DJ Tunez (Nigeria)
• DJ YK Mule (Nigeria)
• Kelvin Momo (South Africa)
• Oscar Mbo (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (Eswatini)
• Woodblock Djs (South Africa)
Producer of the Year
• Beneth Seraphin Akatché Koffi (Senegal)
• Butternut, Xolani Majoz (South Africa)
• Dina One (Mali)
