AFRIMA, AU Celebrate Emerging African Talents at Diamond Party

The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) is set to host The Diamond Party and Prize Presentation on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at Voyage Lagos, Nigeria, as part of its broader commitment to sustainable talent development and the long-term growth of Africa’s creative and cultural industries.

The event will celebrate seven outstanding emerging African artistes whose stage names are Ellacentric, Black Astro, Yamayeh Vibez, Mayowa Afolabi, DELLFIRE, El Nayaan and Blinkz Baba. They are collectively known as The AFRIMA Diamonds, discovered through the AFRIMA Talent Discovery and Promotion Initiative, one of the institution’s strategic development pillars designed to identify, nurture, empower and elevate the next generation of African music stars.

The Diamond Party represents the culmination of a year-long talent discovery and development process that attracted entries from emerging artistes across the continent. Following a rigorous selection process conducted by AFRIMA’s International Jury, seven exceptional talents were selected and subsequently given the opportunity to perform at the AFRIMA Music Village during the 9th AFRIMA Awards held in Lagos, Nigeria.

The performances introduced the young artistes to an audience of over 10,000 music fans physically present at the venue, while also extending their reach to millions of viewers across global broadcast networks and digital streaming platforms within Africa and the diaspora.

Speaking ahead of the Diamond Party, Member of the International Jury of AFRIMA representing Northern Africa, Marwane Fachane, stated that AFRIMA’s developmental focus goes far beyond celebrating established stars, emphasizing the organisation’s commitment to building sustainable pathways for emerging African creatives.

“AFRIMA is not only focused on rewarding excellence in African music; we are equally committed to creating structures and opportunities that support the future of the industry. Through the Talent Discovery and Promotion Initiative, we are intentionally investing in young African talents by providing visibility, mentorship, industry access and platforms that can accelerate their growth and global competitiveness,” Fachane said.

He noted that the initiative forms part of AFRIMA’s wider agenda to contribute meaningfully to the sustainable growth of Africa’s creative economy by connecting emerging artistes to critical stakeholders across the music value chain.

“These young talents are being exposed to record label executives, producers, promoters, broadcasters and other key industry players who can guide their careers and open doors to greater opportunities. The objective is to ensure that African creatives are not only discovered, but also properly supported to thrive within the global music ecosystem,” he added.

Fachane further described the Diamond Party as both a celebration of emerging excellence and a strategic launchpad for the selected talents.

“The seven Diamonds have already demonstrated immense potential on the AFRIMA stage before thousands of fans and millions of viewers globally. This event formally introduces them to wider opportunities within the African and international music industry while reinforcing AFRIMA’s commitment to talent development and cultural advancement,” he stated.

As part of their reward and continuous professional development, the seven finalists have also been accepted to participate in the Showbiz 101 Workshop & Music Creation Camp organised by bridgeAFRIC, scheduled to hold in Lagos, Nigeria from June 23 to June 30, 2026.

Speaking on the opportunity extended to the AFRIMA Diamonds, President of bridgeAFRIC, Victoria Nkong, described the initiative as an important investment in the future of Africa’s creative industry.

“At bridgeAFRIC, we strongly believe that Africa’s creative future depends on how intentionally we invest in emerging talents today. The AFRIMA Diamonds have already shown remarkable promise, and through the Showbiz 101 Workshop & Music Creation Camp, we want to help sharpen their artistry, deepen their understanding of the music business, and expose them to collaboration opportunities by putting them in the studio with some of the biggest music producers and artistes in Africa like Mastercraft, Qing Madi, Makhadzi, Tamsir, Phina e.t.c and link them to mentorship that can accelerate their careers,” Nkong said.

She further commended AFRIMA for creating sustainable platforms that go beyond awards recognition to genuinely support talent development across the continent.

“AFRIMA continues to demonstrate leadership in building a stronger African creative ecosystem. We are excited to collaborate in empowering these young artistes with the knowledge, networks and opportunities they need to compete globally while proudly representing African creativity and culture,” she added.

The event is being organised in partnership with SE Electronics and Voyage Lagos, both of whom are contributing to the development of emerging African creatives through strategic support and collaboration.

While Voyage Lagos, a premium club, is providing hospitality support for the event, SE Electronics will present professional audio gear and music equipment to selected talents to support their creative development, music production capabilities and artistic journey.

According to the Bolaji Onisiwo, Management for New Media Technologies Nigeria (national distributor for SE Electronics), ‘this partnership with AFRIMA is essential to strengthening Africa’s creative ecosystem and empowering young talents with the resources needed for sustainable growth’.

“SE Electronics is demonstrating a strong commitment to the future of African music. Through this collaboration, these young artistes are receiving not just recognition, but practical support, industry exposure and access to tools that can help shape their careers. This is how sustainable creative industries are built,”

The Diamond Party and Prize Presentation is expected to attract leading personalities from across Africa’s entertainment and creative sectors, including Rapper Ladipoe, Alternate Afrobeats star Qing Madi; CEO, Perception Media & Media Personality, Olisa Adibua; Radio Host & Media Personality, Dotun ‘Energy Gahd’; Founder & Creative Director, Red & Axla Consults, Alex Okeke and Celebrity Influencer, Enioluwa, alongside music executives, entertainment entrepreneurs, cultural stakeholders and industry leaders.

AFRIMA is Africa’s biggest and longest running music awards with its week-long programme of events broadcast live to over 85 countries around the world. The Talent Discovery and Promotion initiative remains a critical part of AFRIMA’s long-term vision to ensure a continuous pipeline of globally competitive African talents while promoting African culture, youth empowerment, innovation and creative excellence across the continent and beyond.