Tinubu congratulates Nigerian artistes on success at 9th AFRIMA

By Kunle Sanni –

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigerian artistes who emerged winners at the 9th edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), saying their achievements underscore the growing influence of Nigeria’s music and creative industry across Africa and beyond.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the president described the strong showing by Nigerian artistes at the awards as evidence of the creativity, resilience and global appeal of the country’s youth-driven entertainment sector.

The 9th AFRIMA was held in Lagos from January 7 to 11, 2026. Lagos State hosted the event after being designated the official host city by the African Union Commission in April 2025.

At the ceremony, Rema won Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, and Best African RnB & Soul. Burna Boy clinched Album of the Year, while Shallipopi won Song of the Year and Best African Collaboration alongside Burna Boy. Phyno was named Best African Hip-Hop, Qing Madi won Most Promising Artiste, and Yemi Alade received the award for Best Soundtrack. Chella emerged African Fans’ Favourite, while Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo Adeneye were honoured with the AFRIMA Legendary Award.

President Tinubu said the awards reflected years of hard work and consistency by Nigerian artistes, noting that the country’s music has become a powerful cultural voice on the continent and globally. He added that platforms such as AFRIMA continue to provide opportunities for African talents to gain international recognition.

The president also commended Lagos State for hosting the event, praising the state government for delivering what he described as a successful and world-class awards ceremony.