Full Lists: AFRIMA Releases 2025 Nominations As Shallipopi, Moliy, Ayra Star, Jux, Himra, Davido, El Grande Toto, Rema, Fally Ipupa, Others make list.
...voting starts on September 10
The competition promises to be fiercer than ever, with Africa’s heavyweight stars like Davido, Burna Boy, El Grande Toto, Amr Diab, Fally Ipupa, Rema, and DJ Maphorisa now facing strong challenges from rising sensations such as Shallipopi, Himra, Molly, Ayra Starr, Juma Jux and Mia Guissé as the International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), unveiled the Official Nominees List for the 2025 edition.
This year’s nominations followed a record-breaking 10,717 entries, the highest since the inception of AFRIMA 12 years ago. A 13-member International Jury, after 10 days of adjudication, shortlisted 343 nominees across 40 categories, representing Africa’s five regions and the diaspora.
The International Committee of AFRIMA confirmed that public voting will open globally on September 10, 2025, via the official AFRIMA website (www.afrima.org). Music lovers across Africa and the diaspora will be able to participate in determining the winners in the various categories. Voting will close on the eve of the main awards on November 30.
Nigeria’s Burna Boy and Davido both secured five nominations each. Burna Boy’s album No Sign of Weakness and Davido’s 5ive were both nominated for Album of the Year, while their hit singles also earned them spots in Song of the Year and Best Collaboration.
South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa matched them with five nods, including Best African DJ and Album of the Year. Morocco’s rap star El Grande Toto also secured five nominations, with his album Salgoat and hit Diplomatico catching global attention.
Nigeria’s fast-rising street-pop sensation Shallipopi also stood tall with four nominations, including Artiste of the Year and Song of the Year for his collaboration Laho.
Senegal’s Mia Guissé and Ghana’s Moliy joined the top bracket with five nominations each, proving that female acts are now commanding major influence on the continent’s music stage.
One of the best-selling artists in the whole of the Middle East, Egypt's Amr Diab scooped four nominations, just as Côte d'Ivoire’s Himra picked up three nominations, including Album of the Year. His album Big Aka 4 Aka Kai and hip-hop collaborations have made him one of the strongest newcomers in this year’s race.
Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz grabbed four nominations, continuing his dominance in East Africa. South Africa’s breakout star Tyla and Eswatini’s Uncle Waffles each earned four nominations, confirming the rising power of Amapiano and Afro-house sounds.
Cote d’Ivoire’s Didi B got three nominations, including Best Male Artiste in West Africa and Album of the Year, while Gabon's Eboloko was listed for Breakout Artiste of the Year among his three nods, just as Emma’a also received three nominations, including Best Female Artiste in Central Africa.
DR Congo’s heavyweights are not left out. Fally Ipupa bagged three nominations, including Artiste of the Year, while Ferre Gola earned three nods, among them Songwriter of the Year.
In North Africa, Morocco’s Jaylann received three nominations, while Tanzania’s Juma Jux also scored three, including Song of the Year for Ololufe mi. South Africa produced two triple nominees: Mawhoo, recognised for her hit Bengicela, and rap star Nasty C, who got three nods for his track Soft.
Nigeria’s Rema also emerged with three nominations, including Artiste of the Year and Best Male in West Africa.
Ayra Starr has two nominations, but she is contesting for the Artiste of the Year Award with big stars including Davido, Burna Boy and El Grande Toto.
The diaspora also shone brightly on the list, with male nominees such as DJ Snake, Gazo, Niska, Tayc, Tiakola, Tif, Werenoi, WizTheMC, L’Algérino, and Odeal making the cut. On the female side, the nominees include Aya Nakamura, Annatoria, Choisie Basolua, Darkoo, Deborah Lukalu, Faouzia, Ronisia, The Unveiled, Theodora, and Zaho.
AFRIMA jury member Delani Makhalima, who represents the Southern African region on the panel, described the 2025 nominees’ list as proof of how far African music has come.
“It’s been a dream of ours for a long time to work this hard to get to a place where African music can be heard by everyone. We were marginalised for so many years; our voices were not heard as artists, as creators, as songwriters, as producers, as engineers, as video makers, as filmmakers. Twelve years in, we’re now here. This is global. This is AFRIMA, the biggest music entity on the face of the continent,” he said.
In collaboration with the African Union Commission, AFRIMA 2025 is being organised alongside the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Official Host City, Lagos State.
The 2025 celebration will run from November 25 to 30, 2025, featuring the Welcome Soiree, the AFRIMA Music Village, the Africa Music Business Summit, a Host City Tour, the Nominees Party, and the Main Awards Ceremony. The grand finale on November 30 will be broadcast live to over 84 countries worldwide.
See full list of nominees below:
Best Male Artiste in Central Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
C4 PEDRO
SEM QUERER
ANGOLA
2
EBOLOKO
SATANANA (FT. DRE-A)
GABON
3
GIMS
NINAO
DRC
4
GERILSON INSRAEL
AROMA INSANO
ANGOLA
5
KOCEE
STRANGER (WITH KS BLOOM)
CAMEROON
6
L’OISEAU RARE
NIAMATOS
GABON
7
FALLY IPUPA
LE TEMPS
DRC
8
MAGASCO
DIRTY WHINE (FT. MIMIE)
CAMEROON
9
SINGUILA
ON FAIT COMMENT
THE CONGO
10
WERRASON
TOUT SE PAIE ICI-BAS
DRC
Best Female Artiste in Central Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
ANNA JOYCE
OUTRA VEZ
ANGOLA
2
BLANCHE BAILLY
LÈVE TOI (FT. LADY PONCE)
CAMEROON
3
CHARLOTTE DIPANDA
DIS MOI (FT. TAYC)
CAMEROON
4
CINDY LE COEUR
POUPIYE (FT. KOFFI OLOMIDÉ)
DRC
5
DEBORAH LUKALU
GOD IS GOOD
DRC
6
EMMA’A
ÇA M’A LAISSÉ
GABON
7
JESSY B
LA VIE EST BELLE (FT. BLACK M)
THE CONGO
8
KRYS M
MERCI
CAMEROON
9
LIRIANY
SUPER HOMEM
ANGOLA
10
REBO
MOBAMBO
DRC
Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
BIEN
ALL MY ENEMIES ARE SUFFERING
KENYA
2
DIAMOND PLATNUMZ
BABU (FT. MASTERPIECE_YVK)
TANZANIA
3
ELEMENT ELEÉEH
TOMBE
RWANDA
4
JOSHUA BARAKA
WRONG PLACES
UGANDA
5
JUX
GOD DESIGN (WITH PHYNO)
TANZANIA
6
MARIOO
HA HA HA
TANZANIA
7
MBOSSO
OVA
TANZANIA
8
BRUCE MELODIE
BEAUTY ON FIRE (FT. JOEBOY)
RWANDA
9
SAT-B
KIRISESE (FT. CHAMPURU MAKHENZO)
BURUNDI
10
YARED NEGU
ALEMDIM
ETHIOPIA
Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
ABIGAIL CHAMS
ME TOO (WITH HARMONIZE)
TANZANIA
2
BRIDGET BLUE
I CHOOSE YOU (WITH BIEN)
KENYA
3
DENISE
MATOKY ZAGNAHARY
MADAGASCAR
4
HALELUYA TEKLETSADIK
YELEBE
ETHIOPIA
5
LADY JAYDEE
PO PO
TANZANIA
6
MAHLET WENDIMU
ZIM
ETHIOPIA
7
SALEMIA
ALEM BIRE
ETHIOPIA
8
WEEHA
DIMAMA
ETHIOPIA
9
WINNIE NWAGI
CONTROL IT
UGANDA
10
ZUCHU
AMANDA
TANZANIA
Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
A.L.A.
MAKINA (FT. MOOTJEYEK)
TUNISIA
2
ADVISER
NDILLEN (FT. MIA GUISSÉ)
MAURITANIA
3
AMR DIAB
BABA
EGYPT
4
CHEB MOMO
ATITEHA L’AMOUR
ALGERIA
5
EL GRANDETOTO
DIPLOMATICO
MOROCCO
6
HAMZA NAMIRA
SHAMS W HAWA
EGYPT
7
LBENJ
RWINI (FT. MOUNIM SLIMANI)
MOROCCO
8
MOHAMED RAMADAN
ANA ENTA
EGYPT
9
STORMY
PIRATE
MOROCCO
10
WEGZ
ELWA3D
EGYPT
Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
CHIRINE LAJMI
ECHEH ECHEH
TUNISIA
2
INEZ
AH MIN HALA
MOROCCO
3
JANNAT
K2NAK ROH
EGYPT
4
JAYLANN
HA WLIDI
MOROCCO
5
MANAL
CABARET
MOROCCO
6
MERYEM ABOULOUAFA
HORSES
MOROCCO
7
SHERINE
BATMANA ANSAK
EGYPT
8
ZINA DAOUDIA
SUR SCÈNE
MOROCCO
Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa
S/NO
ARTISTE
TRACK TITLE
COUNTRY
1
ANDERSON MÁRIO
CHOROU
MOZAMBIQUE
2
JAH PRAYZAH
MANDIONEI
ZIMBABWE
3
MANANA
LITTLE THINGS
ESWATINI
4
NASTY C
SOFT (WITH USIMAMANE)
SOUTH AFRICA
5
TEDDY MAKADI
DESIRE
MALAWI
6
TYLER ICU
AWUNGEKE (WITH VISCA FT. LEEMCKRAZY, MR NATION THINGZ, VEERSA, CUBA BEATS, BUDDY KAY, TYRONE DEE & 2WOSHORT)
SOUTH AFRICA
7
WANITWAMOS
MFAZI WEPHEPHA (WITH NKOSAZANA DAUGHTER & MASTER KG FT. BIGZULU & ZEE NXUMALO )
SOUTH AFRICA
8
YO MAPS
MR & MRS
ZAMBIA
9
ZEZE KINGSTON
ACHISALE (WITH LEUMAS FT. NAE RAE)
MALAWI
10
KAZBA DE SMALL
NGYOZAMA (WITH DLALA THUKZIN FT. SYKES, YOUNG STUNNA, NKOSAZANA DAUGHTER, TRACY & THATOHATSI)
