The international jury of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA has expressed satisfaction with the high volume of submissions received just four weeks after the opening of the entry portal for the 2025 edition of the prestigious awards.
AFRIMA, which celebrates excellence in African music and culture, opened its portal on Monday, May 27, inviting creatives from across the continent and the diaspora to submit works. So far, entries have poured in from artists, producers, songwriters, video directors, DJs, choreographers, dancers, labels, and even emerging talents.
Zimbabwean music producer and songwriter, Delani Makhalima, who represents the Southern Africa region on AFRIMA’s 13-member international jury, described the level of response as “massive and encouraging.”
“It tells us that African creatives believe in what AFRIMA stands for,” Makhalima said. “This is more than just an award, it’s a platform for global exposure and industry connection. The response reflects the increasing global relevance of African music and the trust creatives have in AFRIMA.”
The submission portal remains open until August 8, and only works released between August 8, 2024, and August 8, 2025, are eligible. All entries must be submitted via AFRIMA’s official website, www.afrima.org, with email submissions disallowed to ensure procedural integrity.
AFRIMA’s Northern Africa representative, Omar Essaidi of Morocco, also urged prospective entrants to meet the deadline, noting that the adjudication schedule is strict and will not be extended.
“Since 2013, AFRIMA has partnered with the African Union to reward African music talent globally through a transparent process that includes pre-screening, adjudication, voting, and auditing,” Essaidi said. “All timelines are fixed to ensure fairness and credibility.”
Entries will undergo pre-screening before moving to the main adjudication phase, scheduled for August 12 to 19. The final list of nominees will be unveiled on August 24, while public voting will open on September 5 and close on November 28, ahead of the grand finale.
AFRIMA 2025 will climax with a week-long celebration in Lagos, Nigeria, from November 25 to 30, following the African Union’s confirmation of the city as host. The week will feature high-profile events such as the Diamond Showcase, Africa Music Business Summit, Nominees & Industry Night, AFRIMA Music Village, and the Main Awards Ceremony on Sunday, November 30.
The grand event will be broadcast live to an audience in 84 countries worldwide, cementing AFRIMA’s role as Africa’s biggest music stage.