As of 7:51 p.m. on Sunday, January 11, 2026, the All Africa Music Awards is yet to kick off for the 9th edition of the awards. Also, no music stars were present hours after the slated time for the event to kick off.

This year, the Red Carpet was stated to start from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., while the main ceremony was slated for 6:30 p.m. through 10:30 p.m. However, the red carpet was opened around 6:15 p.m., and as at 7:15 p.m., guests were still on the red carpet with no sign of the organisers opening the doors for the ceremony to begin.

AFRIMA is an annual awards event to reward and celebrate musical works, talents, and creativity around the African continent while promoting African cultural heritage. Its pioneer awards show was held in 2014. The awards event was established by the International Committee AFRIMA, in collaboration with the African Union (AU).

Lagos is hosting the awards ceremony for the third time after it was previously held in Ghana and Senegal.
The aims and objectives of AFRIMA go beyond recognising artistry. Its mission is to honour talent, elevate African music’s global presence, support emerging artists, and celebrate cultural diversity.

For the 2026 edition, over 5,000 physical delegates, international artists, creatives, media, policymakers, and millions of viewers across Africa and the diaspora, including production professionals, converged at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos State, bringing international attention and boosting occupancy in hotels, demand for local transport, and patronage of restaurants and entertainment venues.

Through its programmes, such as AFRIMA Music Village, Nominees Party, Music Conferences, and the Grand Awards Ceremony, attracting over 5,000 physical delegates, international artists, creatives, media, policymakers, and millions of viewers across Africa and the diaspora, it creates immersive experiences that encourage extended stays and cross-sector engagement, which are key drivers of tourism growth.

Unlike a single-location entertainment event, AFRIMA provides a pan-African, multi-market, multi-touchpoint platform that positions FirstBank as a leading supporter of Africa’s creative economy, youth enterprise, and cross-border cultural exchange.

Speaking on the partnership, Acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FirstBank, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said: “This partnership strongly aligns with our strategic pillars — Youth, Lifestyle, First@Arts, SME, and Digital Adoption, while supporting FirstBank’s continental footprint and pan-African brand positioning. Deepen youth engagement and brand affinity, drive deposits, collections, and account openings during event campaigns, increase adoption of our digital channels, and strengthen top-of-mind awareness in key urban markets.”