The 13-member jury for the 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has arrived in Lagos State for a week-long screening exercise to determine this year’s nominees.
The jury arrived on Thursday and will begin reviewing entries from August 8 to 16. Thousands of submissions were received from across Africa and the diaspora in categories including music recording, production, songwriting, choreography, DJing, video directing and dancing.
This year’s edition of AFRIMA is themed “Unstoppable Africa” and is being organised in partnership with the African Union, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Lagos State Government, the official host city. The event features over 40 award categories.
Speaking on the screening process, Hadja Kobele, a North America-based representative of the African diaspora on the jury, said the team is committed to transparency and fairness.
“We take this job very seriously. Each entry submitted, whether it comes from a household name or an emerging voice, will be assessed strictly on merit. Our criteria are clear: musical quality, originality, impact, and cultural relevance,” she said.
Kobele added that AFRIMA is not influenced by popularity, saying, “AFRIMA isn’t about industry politics or social media popularity; it’s about honouring the music, the message, and the creators behind it.”
She also stressed the need for credibility in the process. “The whole continent is watching, and we have to ensure that only the most deserving talents and works are nominated. This is a celebration of African excellence, and we are committed to making sure that the process remains fair, credible, and free of bias. No shortcuts, no sentiment, just pure, honest work in service of African music,” she said.
The AFRIMA jury is made up of music executives, cultural experts, producers, journalists and festival organisers from different parts of Africa and the diaspora.
AFRIMA has grown to become one of the most respected music recognition platforms on the continent. Last year’s edition featured performances from some of Africa’s biggest names, including Davido, Asake and Rema.
The final nominees’ list for AFRIMA 2025 is expected to be released after the screening process ends.
