13-Man AFRIMA Jury arrives Lagos for 2025 adjudication

• No extension, as entry submission ends August 8

The Sun

Excitement is mounting as the 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) gears up, with members of the International Jury arriving in Lagos, Nigeria, for an intensive week-long adjudication session from Friday, August 8, to Saturday, August 16, to screen thousands of music entries submitted from across the continent and the diaspora.

This critical stage will see the AFRIMA Jury review thousands of songs, albums, and music videos submitted by African artistes, songwriters, music producers, video directors, DJs, dancers, recording companies, labels, choreographers, and unrecorded talents. The process will culminate in the release of the AFRIMA 2025 Nominees List.

The International Committee of AFRIMA has confirmed there will be no extension of the entry submission deadline, which closes on Friday, August 8, 2025.

AFRIMA, Africa’s Global Music Awards, partners with the African Union, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Official Host City, Lagos State, for the 2025 edition. Themed “Unstoppable Africa,” this year’s event will celebrate the best in African music across more than 40 categories, showcasing talent from all regions and genres.

Speaking on the task ahead, Ms Hadja Kobele, representing the African Diaspora (North America) on the Jury panel, reaffirmed the jurors’ readiness to deliver a credible and transparent adjudication process that upholds the highest standards of excellence.

“We take this job very seriously,” Kobele stated. “Each entry, whether from a household name or an emerging voice, will be assessed strictly on merit. Our criteria are clear: musical quality, originality, impact, and cultural relevance. AFRIMA isn’t about industry politics or social media popularity; it’s about honouring the music, the message, and the creators behind it.”

She added: “The whole continent is watching, and we must ensure only the most deserving talents and works are nominated. This is a celebration of African excellence, and we are committed to a fair, credible, and bias-free process. No shortcuts, no sentiment, just pure, honest work in service of African music.”

The AFRIMA Jury comprises 13 respected professionals from across Africa and the diaspora, including music executives, cultural experts, journalists, producers, and festival organisers. This year, three new members bring fresh perspectives: Marwane Fachane from Morocco (North Africa), Asma Lucy Ilado from Kenya (East Africa), and Messie Mboukou from Congo Brazzaville (Central Africa).

Olisa Adibua, Associate Producer of AFRIMA, serves as Jury-in-Charge. Emil Ngumbah from Cameroon joins Mboukou, representing Central Africa, while Vicensia Shule represents the African Union. Eastern Africa is represented by Joett from Tanzania and Ilado from Kenya. Northern Africa’s cultural pulse is carried by Hossam El Gamal of Egypt and Fachane from Morocco. Southern Africa is represented by Delani Makhalima of Zimbabwe and Adam Tiran of South Africa. Western Africa is represented by Nigeria’s Motolani Alake and Côte d’Ivoire’s Guy Neza. Kobele’s presence as a diasporan representative reinforces AFRIMA’s pan-African and global outlook.

The AFRIMA 2025 Nominees List will be announced on August 24, marking the start of the voting period. From September 5, the AFRIMA Academy and global music fans can vote for their favourite nominees on www.afrima.org. Voting closes 24 hours before the awards ceremony on November 30, with results audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers for transparency.

AFRIMA 2025, hosted in Lagos from November 25 to 30, will feature events such as the Africa Music Business Summit, Music Village Concert, Nominees Party, and the grand Awards Night, broadcast live to over 84 countries.