Most awards won by a country at the All Africa Music Awards

Thirty different African countries have been represented on the winners’ podium across the combined 243 Continental (173) and Regional (70) awards presented at seven editions of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) since it was established in 2014. Six-time hosts Nigeria lead the way with a total of 68 awards (57 Continental, 11 Regional), including Artist of the Year winners Wizkid (b. Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun; 2016–17 and 2021), Davido (b. David Adedeji Adeleke, USA; 2018) and Burna Boy (b. Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu; 2019). Several other internationally renowned Nigerian artists have also picked up trophies at the ceremony – among them posthumous 2014 AFRIMA Legendary Award recipient Fela Kuti (b. Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, 1938–97) and 2021 “African Fans’ Favourite” winner Fireboy DML (b. Adedamola Adefolahan), who scored a major hit that year with his Ed Sheeran collaboration “Peru”.

Fireboy DML secured one of eight category wins for Nigeria when the All Africa Music Awards returned to the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, on 21 November 2021 following an enforced break in 2020 owing to COVID-19. After a combined 11 Best Male and Best Female Regional wins out of 12 for West Africa at the first six editions (2014–19) – for the likes of Davido (2014 and 2018), Wizkid (2017), X Factor alumna Tiwa Savage (2017–19) and Burna Boy (2019) – Nigeria was not represented in the Male or Female categories for the first time in 2021.

AFRIMA is a combined effort by music professionals across the continent aimed at celebrating the rich musical heritage of Africa. Starting out under the theme “For hope, for celebration”, the event revolves around the universal power of music as a tool of unity in Africa, despite the challenges it faces. AFRIMA’s vision is to attract 1.2 billion digital viewers, 10 million social media followers and 800 million TV viewers worldwide in the next five years.