AFRIMA 2025: International Jury Impressed By Turnout As Entry Submissions Portal Closes August 8

The international 13-man jury of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) is excited over the high number of entries submitted so far in the 4th week of submission of works for the 2025 edition of AFRIMA.

Since the entry submission portal opened on Monday, May 27, music professionals and recording organisations from all over Africa and the diaspora have been sending in their works. The entries are coming from artists, songwriters, music producers, video directors, DJs, dancers, recording companies and labels, choreographers, and even unrecorded talents.

A member of AFRIMA’s international jury, Delani Makhalima, a renowned songwriter and music producer from Zimbabwe, representing the Southern Africa region, expressed deep satisfaction with the response received since the AFRIMA 2025 entry portal opened. He described the turnout as not only impressive but also a clear reflection of the growing influence of the awards across the continent and around the world.

“We are truly excited and encouraged by the massive turnout since we opened the portal,” he said. “It tells us that African artists, producers, songwriters, and other creatives believe in what AFRIMA stands for. They see this as more than just an award; it’s a movement and platform that gives their work international exposure, connects them to the industry globally, and validates the quality of their craft. The fact that so many people rushed to submit entries in just the first few days shows that African creatives are ready and eager to shine on the world stage. AFRIMA continues to be that trusted home where Africa’s talent is not just celebrated but also projected to a global audience.”

The portal opened for entries to a broad spectrum of creatives, including artists, songwriters, video directors, DJs, dancers, choreographers, and producers of African origin, both on the continent and in the diaspora.

Final nominees will be announced on August 24, and public voting begins on September 5 and closes on November 28, before the grand awards ceremony on November 30 I Lagos, Nigeria.

AFRIMA 2025 will climax during the Awards Week from November 25 to 30 in Lagos, Nigeria, following the confirmation of the Nigerian commercial capital as the Host City of this year’s event by the African Union. It will feature a week-long lineup of events like the Diamond Showcase, Africa Music Business Summit, Nominees & Industry Night, AFRIMA Music Village, and the Main Awards Ceremony on Sunday, November 30.  The Awards will be broadcast live to millions of people in 84 countries worldwide.

According to Makhalima, only works released between August 8, 2024, and August 8, 2025, will be eligible. All entries must be submitted exclusively through the official AFRIMA website at www.afrima.org, strictly adhering to the submission rules and procedures. Email entries will not be accepted.

Speaking in a similar vein, another Jury member, Omar Essaidi from Morocco, who is representing Northern Africa, stressed the importance of submitting entries early, saying the timeline is tight and won’t be extended.

“Since 2013, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union (AU), has focused on promoting, developing, celebrating and rewarding African music and talents globally. We follow a clear and transparent process that includes screening, adjudication, voting, and auditing. AFRIMA’s schedule is very structured, and every stage must happen as scheduled. To ensure fairness and credibility, our process is audited by a globally renowned assurance firm,” he said.

Entries will go through a pre-screening and adjudication by AFRIMA’s 13-member jury made up of experts in music production, journalism and music critique from across Africa and the diaspora. The main adjudication will take place from August 12 to 19.