2025 AFRIMA Host City to Be Unveiled on May 13

Sunday Ehigiator

The African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of AFRIMA have revealed that they will officially announce the host city for the 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) on May 13, 2025, at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This was contained in a statement yesterday by the AFRIMA organisers.

With the last edition held in Dakar, by the governments of Senegal, two major cities, including Lagos State, Nigeria and Gauteng Province in South Africa, are being considered for the chance to host the African global event.

According to the statement, “Both cities are well-known for their music and cultural scenes, enduring infrastructure for business and tourism, and ability to host and manage big international events. But in the end, only one will get the nod.

“In 2024, the African Union invited both countries of Nigeria and South Africa, as well as wrote to the Governor and Premier of Lagos State and Gauteng Province respectively, to take advantage of the opportunities inherent in hosting the prestigious Africa’s global music awards-AFRIMA for the year 2025.

“After months of review and infrastructure assessment, meetings, engagement and voting by AFRIMA’s International Committee, the decision is now close, and one thing is certain: the winning city will play a big role in shaping the future of African music on a global stage.

“Lagos lives and breathes music; it is the home of Afrobeats, the genre that has taken the world by storm. Some of Africa’s biggest stars, such as Burna Boy, Femi Kuti, Wizkid, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Ashake, Rema, and Ayra Starr, among others, started their journeys in this vibrant city. The energy, rhythm, and passion in Lagos make it the perfect place to celebrate African music.

“Similarly, Gauteng province houses Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria and Soweto township, is a city deeply rooted in music.

“From Kwaito to the globally popular Amapiano, Gauteng has created and shaped sounds that have resonated around the world. It’s a place where music is not just entertainment; it’s a way of life; a powerful form of expression rooted in South Africa’s social and cultural history.

“Both Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State and Premier Panyaza Lesufi of Gauteng are fully behind their cities. They believe hosting AFRIMA will help grow the creative industry, attract tourists, create jobs and inspire new generation African mega superstars.”

Speaking in the statement, AFRIMA’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO), Adenrele Niyi, said this decision is about more than just music.

“Hosting AFRIMA is not just about glamour or entertainment. It’s about creating real impact. The event brings thousands of visitors, including artists, fans, policy makers, media professionals, and investors, to the host city.

“That means full hotels, busy restaurants, more sales for local shops, and lots of business for transport services and event planners. However, more importantly, the over 400 million expected broadcast audience globally remains a key strength of the AFRIMA property.”

The benefits are clear. The host city will be seen by millions around the world through TV, digital media, and global press. It also gets to organise side events like the African Music Business Summit, school outreach programmes for skill acquisition, and the fun-filled AFRIMA Music Village, all of which leave a lasting impact on the hosting country.