Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Rema, Yemi Alade, Shallipopi and Phyno emerged among the biggest winners at the 9th edition of the All Africa Music Awards, held on Sunday night in Lagos State.
Rema was the standout act of the night, clinching three major awards.
The 24-year-old Calm Down crooner won Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, Artiste of the Year, and Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African RnB/Soul for Calm Down.
He edged out top Nigerian artistes including Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid and Asake in the Best Male Artiste in Western Africa and Artiste of the Year categories.
Burna Boy won the Album of the Year award for No Sign of Weakness, while Yemi Alade’s You Are from Iyanu: The Animated Series clinched Best Soundtrack in a Movie, Series or Documentary.
Fast-rising artiste Shallipopi won Song of the Year with Laho and also picked up Best African Collaboration alongside Burna Boy for the same song.
Phyno won Best African Artiste in African Hip-Hop, while Chella emerged African Fans’ Favourite.
Eastern Africa, and Cindy Le Coeur of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who won Best Female Artiste in Central Africa.
AFRIMA 2026 showcased African musical diversity and cultural heritage, with Lagos hosting the awards for the third time, following previous editions in Ghana and Senegal.
The ceremony, held at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, featured performances by several notable African artistes.
Below is the full list of winners:
Best Male Artist in Central Africa
• C4 Pedro (Angola)
• Eboloko (Gabon)
• Gims (DRC)
• Gerilson Insrael (Angola)
• Kocee (Cameroon)
• L’Oiseau Rare (Gabon)
• Fally Ipupa (DRC)
• Magasco (Cameroon)
• Singuila (The Congo) – Winner
• Werrason (DRC)
Best Female Artiste in Central Africa
• Anna Joyce (Angola)
• Blanche Bailly (Cameroon)
• Charlotte Dipanda (Cameroon)
• Cindy Le Coeur (DRC) – Winner
• Deborah Lukalu (DRC)
• Emma’a (Gabon)
• Jessy B (The Congo)
• Krys M (Cameroon)
• Liriany (Angola)
• Rebo (DRC)
Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa
• Bien (Kenya)
• Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
• Element Eleéh (Rwanda)
• Joshua Baraka (Uganda)
• Jux (Tanzania) – Winner
• Marioo (Tanzania)
• Mbosso (Tanzania)
• Bruce Melodie (Rwanda)
• Sat-B (Burundi)
• Yared Negu (Ethiopia)
Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa
• Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
• Bridget Blue (Kenya)
• Denise (Madagascar) – winner
• Haleluya Tekletsadik (Ethiopia)
• Lady Jaydee (Tanzania)
• Mahlet Wendimu (Ethiopia)
• Salemia (Ethiopia)
• Weeha (Ethiopia)
• Winnie Nwagi (Uganda)
• Zuchu (Tanzania)
Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa
• A.L.A. (Tunisia)
• Adviser (Mauritania)
• Amr Diab (Egypt)
• Cheb Momo (Algeria)
• El Grande Toto (Morocco)
• Hamza Namira (Egypt)
• Lbenj (Morocco)
• Mohamed Ramadan (Egypt)
• Stormy (Morocco)
• Wegz (Egypt)
Best Female Artiste in Northern Africa
• Chirine Lajmi (Tunisia)
• Inez (Morocco)
• Jannat (Egypt)
• Jaylann (Morocco)
• Manal (Morocco)
• Meryem Aboulouafa (Morocco)
• Sherine (Egypt) – Winner
• Zina Daoudia (Morocco)
Best Male Artiste in Southern Africa
• Anderson Mário (Mozambique)
• Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
• Manana (Eswatini)
• Nasty C (South Africa)
• Teddy Makadi (Malawi)
• Tyler ICU (South Africa)
• Wanitwamos (South Africa)
• Yo Maps (Zambia) – Winner
• Zeze Kingston (Malawi)
• Kazba De Small (South Africa)
Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa
• Babalwa M (South Africa)
• Hanna (Zimbabwe)
• Makhadzi (South Africa)
• Nkosazana Daughter (South Africa)
• Nontokozo Mkhize (South Africa) – Winner
• Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)
• Temwah (Malawi)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (Eswatini)
• Zee Nxumalo (South Africa)
Best Male Artiste in Western Africa
• Asake (Nigeria)
• Axel Merryl (Benin)
• Black Sherif (Ghana)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• Didi B (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Djodje (Cape Verde)
• Rema (Nigeria) – Winner
• VJ (Senegal)
• Wizkid (Nigeria)
Best Female Artiste in Western Africa
• Amaarae (Ghana)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Djelykaba Bintou (Guinea)
• Josey (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Mariam Ba Lagaré (Mali)
• Mia Guissé (Senegal)
• Moliy (Ghana)
• Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
• Viviane Chidid (Senegal)
• Wendy Shay (Ghana) – Winner
CONTINENTAL CATEGORY
Best Male Artiste in African Inspirational Music
• Christian Mukuna (DRC)
• Djunny Beatz (Mozambique)
• Gaise Baba (Nigeria)
• Israel Mbonyi (Rwanda)
• Jah Prayzah (Zimbabwe)
• Joel Lwaga (Tanzania)
• Kocee (Cameroon)
• Lawrence Oyor (Nigeria)
• Milo (Côte d’Ivoire) – Winner
• Sjava (South Africa)
Best Female Artiste in African Inspirational Music
• Ada Ehi (Nigeria)
• Choisie Basolua (DRC)
• Krys M (Cameroon)
• Martha Mwaipaja (Tanzania)
• Mercy Chinwo (Nigeria)
• Morijah (Côte d’Ivoire) – Winner
• Nontokozo Mkhize (South Africa)
• Roseline Layo (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Vestine & Dorcas (Rwanda)
Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African Jazz
• Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Ghana)
• Haddinqo (Ethiopia) – Winner
• Mádé Kuti (Nigeria)
• Rorisang Sechele (South Africa)
• Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane (South Africa)
• The Cavemen (Nigeria)
• Alune Wade (Senegal)
• Nomfundo Xaluva (South Africa)
• Kyle Shepherd Trio (South Africa)
Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Contemporary
• Fireboy DML (Nigeria)
• Axel Merryl (Benin) – Winner
• Espe Bass (Congo B)
• Bien (Kenya)
• Jaylann (Morocco)
• Kizz Daniel, Angélique Kidjo & Johnny Drille (Nigeria)
• Mbosso (Tanzania)
• Ferre Gola & Rayvanny (DRC)
• Didine Canon 16 (Algeria)
• Wendy Shay (Ghana)
Best Soundtrack in Movie, Series, or Documentary
• Igho’le Trap Mix Version (“To Kill a Monkey”: Series) – Oscar Heman-Ackah (Ghana)
• El Ma2as (“The Start”: Film) – Tamer Hosny, Reda Elbahrawy (Egypt)
• You Are (“Iyanu”: The Animated Series) – Yemi Alade (Nigeria) – Winner
• Timpi Tampa (“Timpi Tampa”: The Film) – Ismaël Lo (Senegal)
• Tori Ife (“Seven Doors”: Series) – Tolu Obanro (Nigeria)
• Saatte Ragouj (“The Last of the Mohicans” Film) – Kafon (Tunisia)
Songwriter of the Year
• Bakhaw Dioum – “Choix” (Mia Guissé ft. Wally B. Seck) (Senegal) – Winner
• Emel, Jehanny Beth & Camille Berthomier – “Fall in the Light” (Tunisia)
• Emma’a – “Trop d’amour” (Gabon)
• Emmanuel Ayobami Alli-Hakeem – “Za” (Anendlessocean) (Nigeria)
• Ferre Gola – “Amour Illusoire” (DRC)
• Mohammed Ismail Sharrif – “Rebel Music” (Black Sherif) (Ghana)
• Mugisha Fred Robinson – “Tombé” (Element Eleéh) (Rwanda)
• Olamide Adedeji – “Hassibunallah” (Olamide) (Nigeria)
• Prince Omoferi & Nwamu Francis Chukwudubem – “It Hurts” (Johnny Drille & Don Jazzy) (Nigeria)
• Victor Ngatuvese Kaune – “Oputuri ‘Queens’” (One Blood Namibia) (Namibia)
Artiste of the Year
• Amr Diab (Egypt)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Burna Boy (Nigeria)
• Davido (Nigeria)
• DJ Maphorisa (South Africa)
• El Grande Toto (Morocco)
• Fally Ipupa (DRC)
• Jux (Tanzania)
• Rema (Nigeria) – Winner
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• Tyla (South Africa)
Breakout Artiste of the Year
• Blaq Major (South Africa)
• Ciza (South Africa) – Winner
• Eboloko (Gabon)
• Himra (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Marioo (Tanzania)
• Mawhoo (South Africa)
• Moliy (Ghana)
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• Trap King (Algeria)
• VJ (Senegal)
Best African Lyricist Rapper
• ALA (Tunisia)
• Didi B (Côte d’Ivoire) – Winner
• Jessy B (Congo B)
• Klassafan le Melangeur (Guinea)
• Nasty C & Usimamane (South Africa)
• Nyashinski (Kenya)
• Reminisce (Nigeria)
• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Switch (Libya)
• Yacou B OG (Mali)
Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African Hiphop
• ALA ft. Mootjeyek (Tunisia)
• Cassper Nyovest (South Africa)
• Eboloko (Gabon)
• El Grande Toto (Morocco)
• Himra (Côte d’Ivoire)
• Phyno (Nigeria) – Winner
• Nasty C & Usimamane (South Africa)
• Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
• Sarkodie (Ghana)
• Suspect 95 (Côte d’Ivoire)