Susan Abayomi
The African Union (AU) and the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) have unveiled the global calendar for the 10th edition of the awards in Los Angeles, United States.
The unveiling took place on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California, as part of AFRIMA’s preparations for its landmark 10th edition.
The event brought together stakeholders from the creative industry, including artistes, actors, investors, policymakers, media executives and members of the African diaspora.
It also featured the AFRIMA Creative Industry Roundtable and Stakeholders Conference, held under the theme, “Catalyst for Collaboration & Investment in the Global Creative Industry.”
The discussions focused on strengthening partnerships, attracting investment and creating greater international opportunities for Africa’s creative sector.
The Los Angeles engagement forms part of the wider Road to 10th AFRIMA activities, which have taken the awards platform to several African creative and cultural centres, including Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, and Rabat and Casablanca in Morocco.
According to AFRIMA, the global calendar unveiling is intended to give artistes, nominees, partners, industry stakeholders and fans a clearer understanding of the activities and milestones leading to the 10th edition of the awards.
The decision to hold the engagement in Los Angeles also reflects the city’s position as a major global entertainment centre and its significant African diaspora community.
Hadja Kobele, Associate Co-Producer of AFRIMA and a member of its International Jury representing North America, said the event would help strengthen connections between African creatives, industry professionals, investors and the African diaspora.
She noted that the diaspora could play an important role in opening new markets and creating opportunities for collaboration around African music and creative content.
Also speaking on the stakeholders’ conference, AFRIMA Associate Producer Victoria Nkong said the discussions were designed to explore practical ways of strengthening connections between Africa and the global creative economy.
The 10th edition represents a significant milestone for AFRIMA, which has previously held calendar unveilings in countries including The Gambia, Ghana, South Africa, Senegal and Nigeria, as well as at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
AFRIMA said its awards platform is broadcast in more than 84 countries, giving African music and culture a wide international audience.
The organisation said the Los Angeles engagement marks another step in its efforts to promote African music, support creative-industry growth and strengthen the continent’s connection with global entertainment markets.
