Nigeria has been awarded a three-year hosting right for the Pan African Music Initiative, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) by the African Union (AU).
This was contained in a release signed by Segun Adeyemi, Senior Assistant, Lagos to Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
The award, which is to last from 2017 to 2019, was given following Nigeria’s successful hosting of the 2014 to 2016 editions.
In a statement, the Minister of Information and Culture said the award of the hosting right was conveyed in a letter written to him by the Commissioner of Social Affairs at the African Union Commission, Mrs Amira Elfadil.
In the letter, the AU Commissioner commended the growth and inclusiveness of AFRIMA by reaching out to ‘many musicians, music producers and creative arts practitioners in general’.
Between 2014 and 2016, during which Nigeria hosted three editions of AFRIMA, Mrs. Elfadil stated: “The All Africa Music Awards initiative has become a very crucial event and movement of African musicians which allows them to establish synergies and work towards the development of Africa’s music and promotion of music in the continent and in the international arena.”
Based on this and other factors such as the willingness to create value and deepen the brand equity, not only for Nigerians but also for Africans, the AU returned the hosting right of AFRIMA to Nigeria.
Reacting to the award, the Minister said the government’s desire to retain the right was informed by the enthusiasm and sense of duty with which Nigerians embraced AFRIMA from 2014 to 2016 as well as the prevailing international confidence in the present administration.
The 2017 edition of AFRIMA is scheduled to hold from November 10 to 12.
