Burna Boy, Davido, Ayra Star, Others Bags Nomination For AFRIMA 2025

By Diafa Doubra,

Nigeria’s music stars have once again taken the spotlight as Burna Boy, Davido, and Ayra Starr earned nominations for the 12th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) 2025, scheduled to hold in Lagos from November 25 to 30, 2025. This year’s edition recorded a historic 10,717 entries, the highest in the award’s 12-year history, out of which 343 nominees across 40 categories were shortlisted by a 13-member international jury after a rigorous 10-day screening.

Burna Boy and Davido emerged among the leading nominees with five nominations each, featuring in major categories such as Artiste of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Ayra Starr, who has continued to make her mark globally, secured two nominations, including Artiste of the Year, while fast-rising star Shallipopi followed with four nomination, among them Song of the Year for his hit track Laho. Other Nigerian acts like Rema, Wizkid, and Tems also appeared in various categories, confirming Nigeria’s dominance on the African music scene.

Beyond Nigeria, Africa’s finest are also well represented, with DJ Maphorisa*m of South Africa, El Grande Toto of Morocco, Mia Guissé*
of Senegal, and Moliy of Ghana also earning five nominations each.

Global names in the diaspora categories such as Aya Nakamura, DJ Snake, and Darkoo further highlight AFRIMA’s international appeal. Voting opens on September 10, 2025, on AFRIMA’s official website, ahead of a week-long celebration in Lagos that will include the Music Village, Africa Music Business Summit, Nominees Party, and the Awards Night broadcast live to over 80 countries.