Sanwo-Olu throws weight behind AFRIMA 2025 as Lagos named host city

Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has declared his full support for the 2025 edition of the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), which will be hosted in Lagos.

Speaking at Lagos House, Ikeja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by members of the international committee of AFRIMA and representatives of the African Union Commission (AUC), Sanwo-Olu said his administration remains committed to providing opportunities and an enabling environment for creatives in entertainment, fashion and the arts to thrive.

“It was not difficult for us to make entertainment, tourism and everything in the creative space one of our cardinal objectives. We are very intentional because we realise that the creative industry is a place where the youth with a dynamic population want to be. It is also the largest employer of labour in different ways and means. But more importantly, it also helps to tell the African story, a story that the entire world has not heard, to be able to take it up and work with it.

“As a government, what we set out to do is to continue to give opportunity, hope and space for the creative people. We will give them the space and create a clear business opportunity and environment for them to thrive and do well. Lagos has become a destination for good reasons,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu described Lagos as a city that has “given life to many people in entertainment, fashion and the arts by supporting them to actualise their dreams,” adding that the state will continue to assist creatives in propagating their talents.

On Lagos hosting AFRIMA 2025, the governor said, “We know AFRIMA. It is indeed an honour that as strategic as we are, AFRIMA deemed it fit to hold its 2025 events in Lagos. It comes with responsibility and commitment. Lagos is able, and it is big enough to take on AFRIMA, and we will take it forward. We have the structures and infrastructures to be able to support AFRIMA.”

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Angela Martins, who is head of the culture department and acting director of social development, culture and sports of the African Union, thanked the Lagos State Government for its past and continued support for AFRIMA.

“Lagos has hosted AFRIMA awards before, and we are really thankful for the support. We are looking forward to support from the Lagos State Government in order to host AFRIMA 2025 and beyond,” Martins said.

President and executive producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada, also praised the Sanwo-Olu administration for its consistent backing of the creative sector, saying Lagos earned the hosting right for AFRIMA 2025 due to the governor’s “hard work, focus, love for the creative industry and association with entertainment,” which he said aligns with the themes agenda of the state.

“Lagos State is the mecca of entertainment, music and the film industry in the Middle East and Africa. We request the right partnership and support to make AFRIMA hosted in Lagos. We need institutional support and financial support to host over 1,500 artists and managers for the event, which we use to promote the cities of Africa and unite our people through music,” Dada said.

AFRIMA 2025 is scheduled to take place in Lagos in November.