Three music stakeholders, Marwane Fachane from Morocco, Kenyan Asma Lucy Ilado and Messie Mboukou from Congo Brazzaville have joined the International Jury panel of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
While Fachane represents Northern Africa on the panel, Ilado and Mboukou are doing it for East Africa and Central Africa respectively.
According to the International Committee of AFRIMA in partnership with African Union Commission (AUC), the appointments are in line with the operational model of the jury structure, and part of the efforts to make sure that the judging process remains professional and fair, while reflecting Africa’s rich cultural diversity.
Fachane, Ilado and Mboukou bring years of experience in music, culture and youth development to their roles on the 14-man AFRIMA Jury. They will help choose the best musical talents from across Africa and the Diaspora, ensuring that only the most deserving artists are nominated and awarded.
Marwane Fachane, Executive Director, Hiba Foundation, leads the people and strategy at one of Morocco’s top creative and cultural organisations. The NGO supports young people in the creative industry and helps them build careers in music, film and other art forms.
Speaking about his new role, Fachane said, “I’m honoured to be part of AFRIMA’s jury. This platform is key to celebrating African talent and showing the world what our continent can offer.”
He also noted that African creativity is growing fast and deserves to be supported and promoted on global platforms.
Young and vibrant Messie Mboukou is a well-known executive in music communication, events and digital media, and has supported several African artistes in the Diaspora and on the continent through his France-based consulting agency. He has also helped organise over 1,000 events around the world.
“It’s a privilege to be part of AFRIMA. I believe Africa’s greatest wealth is in its youth and culture. If we support young talent and work together, the future will be even brighter,” he stated, promising to contribute to a fair judging process that strengthens the beauty of African music.
Asma Lucy Ilado, a respected journalist, cultural development consultant and advocate, paid glowing tributes to former AFRIMA juror and fellow Kenyan, legendary producer, Tabu Osusa, and also to the late Ghanaian music executive, Rab Bakari, who served on the AFRIMA Jury from 2014-2016.
Ilado stated that she was looking forward to discovering new voices and talents across the continent during the adjudication process. “Although, African music is full of energy and promise, more investment is still needed in key areas like distribution, production, training and rights protection. Platforms like AFRIMA are important, not just for recognising excellence, but also for building bridges between regions and helping the industry grow stronger,” she explained.
Welcoming the new jurors, Adenrele Niyi, Chief Experience Officer, AFRIMA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lucy, Marwane and Messie to the AFRIMA International Jury. We’ve already started on a warm and respectful note, and I’m optimistic about the energy and depth they’ll bring to the team. Each of them is a respected music professional with solid experience in their respective regions, and their inclusion this year adds a refreshing layer of perspective to our already diverse and highly skilled Jury.”
Other members of the jury include Olisa Adibua from Nigeria; Vicensia Shule, African Union representative; Emil Ngumbah from Cameroon, representing Central Africa; Joett from Tanzania, representing Eastern Africa, and Hossam El Gamal from Egypt, representing Northern Africa.
Additional jurors are Adam Tiran from South Africa, representing Southern Africa; Delani Makhalima from Zimbabwe representing Southern Africa; Guy Neza from Cote d’Ivoire representing Western Africa; Motolani Alake from Nigeria, representing Western Africa, and Hadja Kobele, Diaspora, representing North America.
Meanwhile, for a chance to be recognised on the prestigious AFRIMA stage, musicians, producers, choreographers and record labels have been reminded that entry submissions will close on August 8, 2025. However, entries must be submitted through the official AFRIMA website before the deadline.
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