The stage is set for another major chapter in African music as the International Executive Committee of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), in partnership with the African Union (AU), officially opens the entry portal for the 10th AFRIMA on October 11, 2026, inviting artistes, creative and music professionals across Africa and the Diaspora to submit their works for consideration for the 10th AFRIMA.
Tge awards ceremony is scheduled to hold between May 18 and 23, 2027, in Lagos, Nigeria.
According to a statement made available to TCN by tge organisers, the entry portal will open on October 11, 2026 and is expected to run until January 10, 2027, giving artistes, songwriters, producers, and other music professionals across Africa and the Diaspora the opportunity to compete for recognition at the 10th edition of the awards.
The statement says AFRIMA is receiving entries across 40 award categories, comprising Regional and Continental categories covering Africa’s five regions and diverse music genres. Eligible entrants include artistes, songwriters, music producers, video directors, DJs, dancers and choreographers, record labels, music executives, as well as unrecorded artistes of African origin living on the continent or in the Diaspora.
Only works produced or released within the year under review, from August 10, 2025, to January 10, 2027, will be eligible for consideration.
Entries are expected to be submitted digitally through the official AFRIMA website (www.afrima.org) only. Submissions sent to any AFRIMA email address or through other platforms will not be accepted, the organizers said.
The opening of the portal follows the unveiling of the 10th AFRIMA global calendar event in Los Angeles, United States, on September 20, 2026.
The call for entries also follows a record-breaking 10,717 submissions received for the 9th edition, underscoring the growing participation of African music professionals in Africa’s global music awards platform.
Speaking on the opening of the entry portal, AFRIMA International Jury member representing Eastern Africa, Lucy Ilado, a Kenyan, urged eligible music professionals to submit their works and take advantage of the platform’s continental and global reach.
“As we open entries for the 10th edition of AFRIMA, I especially encourage upcoming artistes and music professionals to take advantage of this opportunity and submit their work. AFRIMA provides a platform for emerging voices to be discovered alongside established names from across Africa and the Diaspora.
“I also encourage entrants to take time to understand the different categories and submit their work in the category that best fits it. Beyond the quality of the work itself, it is important to ensure that entries are submitted correctly, with accurate information and working links, so they can be properly considered during the screening and adjudication process,” she said.
Also speaking, Adam Tiran, a member of the AFRIMA International Jury representing Southern Africa from South Africa, said:
“The African music industry is changing rapidly. We are seeing new sounds, new collaborations, and a new generation of artistes and music professionals finding their own space in the industry. AFRIMA gives these voices another opportunity to be heard and recognised.
“I encourage music professionals from across the continent and the Diaspora to use this entry window to put forward the work they believe represents where African music is today and where it is going. AFRIMA should continue to be a platform that discovers new talent, recognises excellence, and brings the different regions of Africa closer together through music for greater global expansion and reach.”
Applicants are asked to complete the online Entry Registration Form accurately and provide working links to their works. Audio and video submissions should be provided through downloadable or streamable links from platforms such as YouTube or SoundCloud. The submission form is available in English, French, Swahili, Arabic and Portuguese, with a Spanish translation also accessible.
Established in 2013 by the International Executive Committee of AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union, AFRIMA has grown into Africa’s biggest, most prestigious and longest-running music awards platform, dedicated to developing, celebrating and promoting African music, culture and creative talent globally.
