The 2025 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) is gearing up in full swing with excitement, as members of the International Jury for the highly anticipated award are already in Lagos for an intense, week-long adjudication session to screen thousands of music entries submitted from across the continent and the diaspora.

This important stage of the award, which commenced from Friday, August 8 to climax on Saturday, August 16, will see the Jury members go through thousands of music entries —songs, albums, and music videos— submitted from across the continent and the diaspora by African artistes, songwriters, music producers, video directors, DJs, dancers, recording companies and labels, choreographers, and even unrecorded talents. The exercise will culminate in the emergence of the AFRIMA 2025 Nominees List.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the prestigious awards has said there will be no extension of the deadline for submission of entries for this year’s event, which officially closed on Friday, August 8.

With this year’s edition theme as ‘Unstoppable Africa’, the award will once again celebrate the best in African music from across the continent and the diaspora; covering more than 40 categories, showcasing talent from all regions and genres.

Speaking on the rigorous task ahead, Ms. Hadja Kobele, who represents the African Diaspora (North America) on the Jury panel reaffirmed her fellow Jurors’ readiness to deliver a credible and transparent adjudication process that reflects the highest standards of excellence.

Kobele said the jury members, drawn from across the continent and diaspora, are not only industry veterans but also passionate gatekeepers of African music. She stated that the team is conscious of the responsibility placed on their shoulders and is approaching the assignment with utmost diligence and integrity.

“Each entry submitted, whether it comes from a household name or an emerging voice, will be assessed strictly on merit. Our criteria are clear: musical quality, originality, impact, and cultural relevance. AFRIMA isn’t about industry politics or social media popularity; it’s about honouring the music, the message, and the creators behind it,” the music stated.

“The whole continent is watching, and we have to ensure that only the most deserving talents and works are nominated. This is a celebration of African excellence, and we are committed to making sure that the process remains fair, credible, and free of bias. No shortcuts, no sentiment, just pure, honest work in service of African music,” she added.

After the adjudication process, the full list of AFRIMA 2025 Nominees will be announced to the public on August 24, which will also signal the start of the voting period. From September 5, the AFRIMA Academy, as well as fans and music lovers from around the world, will be able to vote for their favourite nominees on the official AFRIMA website, www.afrima,org.