After record-breaking 10,717 entries, voting has commenced for the nominees of this year’s All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
According to the International Committee of AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), public voting officially opened on September 10, 2025 via www.afrima.org, and will run until Friday, November 28, 2025; two days before the main awards ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.
AFRIMA hit a record-breaking 10,717 entries this year, the highest in its history, following a 10-day screening process conducted by 13-member international jury, with 271 songs from 270 artistes receiving a total of 378 nominations across 40 categories.
These entries represent all five African regions as well as the Diaspora. Winners will be determined through a combination of public votes and votes from the AFRIMA Academy.
To vote, music lovers are encouraged to log on to www.afrima.org or head directly to vote.afrima.org. For returning voters, it’s a quick login with existing details. First-time users, however, must click “Create Account”, provide the required information, and keep their username and password safe for subsequent logins throughout the voting period.
Once inside, each voter is welcomed to a personal dashboard, a hub that records voting activity and generates a unique shareable URL. This link is more than just a tool for spreading the word; every time it is used by others to log in and vote, the original voter earns additional votes that can be cast for any artiste in any category.
Each account is entitled to 40 votes daily, with every vote carrying 100 value points. Fans can distribute these votes across nominees in both the regional and continental categories.
The portal makes the process easy: voters can browse through nominees, complete with artiste names, images, tracks, country details, and preview links via YouTube or SoundCloud, before clicking the ‘Vote’ button.
However, the Legend Award is different. The winner in this category is chosen only by the International Committee of AFRIMA, which has full voting power for it. A globally renowned auditing firm audits the voting process that determines winners at AFRIMA Awards.
In her remarks, AFRIMA’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO), Adenrele Niyi, said: “At AFRIMA, our commitment goes beyond celebrating African music; it is about upholding the values that define us, which are Fairness, Authenticity, Creativity, Excellence, Integrity, and Transparency (FACE IT). These principles guide every stage of the award process, ensuring that artistes and fans alike experience a platform that is credible, inclusive, and truly representative of Africa’s rich creative spirit.”
Meanwhile, from established icons to emerging talents, artistes across the continent have been expressing joy and gratitude for their nominations.
Burundian star, Sat-B, nominated for Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa, hailed his fans for their support. He wrote on his Instagram handle: “Truly honoured to be nominated at official AFRIMA awards. All is thanks to your love and support. Let’s go together and represent Burundi!”
South African jazz maestro, Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane, recognised in the African Jazz category for his track, Kwandebele, stated: “Honoured to be nominated among such incredible talent. Grateful to share the spirit of home through sound.”
Moroccan sensation, DJ Moh Green, also shared his gratitude, urging his fans to vote for him. “I am truly honoured to be nominated. Thank you all for your support over the years – none of this would have been possible without you. From September 10, I’m counting on you. Let’s mobilise, vote together, and bring this one home,” he noted.
Cameroon’s fast-rising talent, King Luca, nominated for Most Promising Artiste of the Year, described the moment as spiritual, saying, “Allahu Akbar! I just picked up my first AFRIMA nomination. I am honoured to be among Africa’s best artistes.”
Leading African record labels are equally celebrating. Mavin Records, founded by music mogul, Don Jazzy, congratulated its stars Rema, Ayra Starr and producer, Mbryo for making the nominees list. “Congratulations to @heisrema, @ayrastarr, and @unusual_mbryo on their AFRIMA nominations. Let’s go, Mavin!” the label stated.
With the theme: ‘Unstoppable Africa’, this year’s AFRIMA promises to be the biggest celebration of African music. Lagos, the official host city, will welcome stars and fans for a weeklong festival from November 25-30, 2025.
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