The President of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), Mr. Mike Dada, on Friday in Lagos revealed some of the nominees for this year’s edition of the awards.

Dada who was flanked by some jury members of AFRIMA, announced the nominees at a forum with entertainment reporters.

Among the nominees for the Best Female Artist in Central Africa were Betty Akna (Equatorial Guinea), Laurette La Perle (DRC Congo) and a trio of Cameroonians—Charlotte Dipanda, Mani Bella and Missy BK.

Contesting for the Best Female Artist in Eastern Africa were Alsarah and the Nubatones (Sudan), Helen Berhe (Ethiopia), Lilian Mbabazi (Uganda), Linah (Tanzania, Suzanna Owiyo (Kenya) and Tsedenia (Ethiopia).

In the Best Male Artist in Eastern Africa category were Alikiba and Diamond Platnumz both from Tanzania, Jaguar (Kenya), Jose Chameleone (Uganda), Kidum and Boda Boda Band (Burundi) and Teddy Afro (Ethiopia).

For the Best Female Artist in Northern Africa category were Cheba Sabrine and Souad Massi, who are both from Algeria with Egyptians Jannat and Samira Said alongside Manal of Morocco.

The nominees for the Best Male Artist in Northern Africa were Ahmed Soultan and Wiyaala, Aziz Sahmaoui, Don Bigg, Monsif Jilali and Simo Lagnawi, all from Morocco, with Amr Diab from Egypt.

Nominated for the Best Female Artist in Southern Africa catgory were three South Africans—Bucie, Busiswa, DJ Buckz and Uhuru, and Kelly Khumalo; Kutsvaga Mari (Zimbabwe) and two Angolans Anna Joyce and Celma Ribas.

Among the Best Male Artist in Southern Africa nominees were four South Africans—Beatenberg, Cassper Nyovest, DJ Drama and Anatii; Jeremy Loops and Motheo Moleko; and KO together with two Angolans—Djeff Afrozila, Yuri da Cunha and Bzb and Explosao.

Nominated for the Best Female Artist in West Africa were Ghanaians—Efya and Wiyaala along with four Nigerians—Niyola, Ruby Gyang, Sheyi Shay and Yemi Alade.

The nominees for Best Male Artist in West Africa were five Nigerians Brymo, Davido and Meek Mill, Flavour, Olamide and Wizkid alongside Sarkodie and Castro of Ghana.

For the Album of the Year were Wizkid, P-Square, Yemi Alade, Brymo and Flavour of Nigeria; two Cameroonians—Charlotte Dipanda and Mami Bella; Alikiba of Tanzania; Alsarah and the Nubatones from Sudan and Wiyaala from Ghana.

Nominated for the Song of the Year were Davido and Meek Mill, Yemi Alade, Wizkid and P-Square from Nigeria; Sakordie and Castro from Ghana; Charlotte Dipanda from Cameroon; DJ Jose Chameleone from Uganda and two Tanzanians—Alikiba and Diamond Platnumz.

The Artist of the Year nominees were Yemi Alade, Wizkid, Olamide, Flavour and Davido from Nigeria; Alikiba and Diamond Platnumz from Tanzania; Charlotte Dipanda from Cameroon; Dr Jose Chameleone from Uganda and Sarkodie from Ghana.

Dada announced that the other nominees would be announced in due course while the awards ceremony would hold on Nov. 15 in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this is the second edition of AFRIMA.

This year’s edition of the awards is in partnership with the African Union Commission, ONE Campaign and Africa 2.0. (NAN)

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