Nigerian performers dominated the ninth edition of the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima), held in Lagos on Sunday night, delivering standout performances and major wins. The week-long Afrima celebration brought together music experts who carefully selected and honored the best talents from across Africa and the diaspora. Leading the night was Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, who took home the coveted Album of the Year award for his latest project, No Sign of weakness further cementing his status as one of Nigeria’s most influential global music stars.
Burna Boy is well-known for both his unique Afro-fusion style and international hits like Ye and Last. He also split the Best African Collaboration award with Shallipopi, a young Nigerian artist who is gaining recognition for his catchy songs and lively live performances. Shallipopi also won Song of the Year for his viral hit Laho, which became a social media sensation.
Leading the night in terms of awards was Rema, another Nigerian Afrobeats star known for hits like Dumebi and Calm Down. He took home three awards: Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, and Best African Artiste in R&B and Soul. Veteran singer Yemi Alade, famous for her global hit Johnny, won Best Soundtrack in a Movie, Series, or Documentary for her song You Are from the animated series Iyanu. Legendary rapper Phyno, known for blending Igbo lyrics with hip-hop, was named Best African Artiste in African Hip-Hop.
The awards also highlighted riding talent, with Madi winning Most Promising Artist of the Year and Chella taking the African Fans’ Favorite award. Additionally, Afrima honored artists from other African nations. Senegalese singer-songwriter Bakhaw Dioum won Songwriter of the Year, Algerian DJ Moh Green won DJ of the Year, Ghanaian Wendy Shay—known for her upbeat Afrobeat songs—won Best Female Artiste in West Africa, South African Nontokozo Mkhize won Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa, and Tanzanian Juma Jux won Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa.
The success of Nigerian musicians at Afrima highlights Afrobeats’ popularity on a global scale and the expanding impact of African music.
