The African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) have announced the deferment of the 2020 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), to 2021 in the light of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

The decision to suspend the 7th annual edition of the main awards ceremony which had been scheduled to hold over five days in Nigeria between December 2 and December 6, 2020, was revealed on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 and it was reached after several months of monitoring the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and careful consultations with AFRIMA stakeholders on the continent and around the globe.

The African Union Commission and AFRIMA said in a statement on Monday that the cancellation brings with it great opportunities for future awards planning and preparation by utilizing the digital platforms and gains that the development has thrust upon the world of concerts, conferences and festivals; which are some of the activities that make up the annual AFRIMA event calendar.

They said: “The health and safety of the community of AFRIMA Stakeholders is of utmost importance to us. Many of our awards nominees and delegates travel from different parts of the continent and from other parts of the globe to Africa each edition and, fully understanding the risks involved with such movements, the suspension of the 2020 edition of AFRIMA is the only prudent course for us.

“We work day and night each year to ensure we provide a world-class and safe awards event. Now, we are focusing all of our efforts on making our future events even better. We hope that the world will be able to take adequate action, and that the spread of the virus will soon be contained.

“We would like to thank all our stakeholders and partners for their support, open discussions and encouragement. We will continue to work with every one of you and share more information about our plans for the coming year which has been declared by the Policy Organs of the African Union as the year of Arts, Culture and Heritage and will be celebrated under the theme ‘Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want’.

“The All Africa Music Awards being a music property that recognises and rewards the work and talent of a myriad of African artistes from the old to the new generation of musicians will without doubt fully contribute to the AU year of arts, culture and heritage, through te promotion of the creative industries of music and audio-visual.

“The continental awards, stimulates conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world about the potential of the creative arts and it’s for significant contribution for social cohesion, national, regional and continental integration as well as sustainable development in Africa.

“The annual AFRIMA main awards event is a five-day event, comprising live music, red carpet, social networking and unending entertainment. Events and activities include an all-night live concert show called the AFRIMA Music Village; the music industry business conference and exhibition called the Africa Music Business summit; the Host City Tour; and the live broadcast (TV and Online) Main Awards Ceremony where winners of the 23.9 karat gold plated AFRIMA trophy are awarded.”

For more information, interested members of public were implored to kindly contact Ms Angela Martins, Head of Culture Division, on Email: MartinsA@african-Union.org and Ms. Adenrele Niyi, AFRIMA Associate Producer, on Email: ade.niyi@afrima.org.

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