Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced that Lagos is ready to host the 2025 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), reaffirming the state’s position as a leading hub for creativity and culture in Africa.
EpeInsights reports that Governor Sanwo-Olu made the announcement on Tuesday during a visit by a high-level delegation from the African Union and the AFRIMA International Committee to the Lagos State Government House.
The Governor expressed his excitement about Lagos’ role in welcoming the continent and the world to the prestigious music celebration.
“Lagos is more than prepared to roll out the red carpet for AFRIMA 2025. This event perfectly aligns with our administration’s vision of strengthening the creative and tourism industries as key pillars of our development,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor highlighted the state’s ongoing investments in various creative sectors, including music, film, fashion, photography, and cultural tourism. Lagos’ event calendar for 2025 is already packed with global events, such as the Cannes Film Festival and the first-ever E1 World Championship — Africa’s first international water sports event.
“We will host this with immense pride and gratitude. We thank the African Union and the AFRIMA Committee for trusting Lagos again,” Sanwo-Olu said, assuring the full cooperation of the state government with the organizers.
In her remarks, the Head of Culture and Acting Director for Social Development, Culture, and Sport at the African Union, Ms. Angela Martins, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for his continuous support for the arts.
She also emphasized AFRIMA’s importance as a tool for promoting the African Union’s cultural policies and Agenda 2063.
“AFRIMA has become a powerful instrument for advancing the AU’s cultural agenda, and Lagos has always played a pivotal role in its success. We are confident that Lagos is the best place to host AFRIMA 2025,” Martins added.
AFRIMA President and Executive Producer, Mike Dada, also praised Lagos under Sanwo-Olu’s leadership, describing the city as a thriving creative hub.
He emphasized that AFRIMA 2025 will be more than just an event, it will be a week-long festival with significant socio-economic impact, attracting over 1,600 nominees, 1,100 production crew members, and a global broadcast audience of 400 million people.
The event is expected to boost Lagos’ tourism, hospitality and job creation.
Among the AFRIMA officials present at the meeting was Ahmed Soultan, a past award winner, who credited his 2014 AFRIMA win for launching his international career.
Other representatives from across Africa and the diaspora, including South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Australia, were also in attendance.
The official announcement and presentation of the hosting certificate to Lagos will take place on May 13, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
