Afrobeats superstar Rema emerged as the biggest winner of the night at the 9th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), held at the Eko Convention Centre on January 11, 2026.
The 25-year-old artist, born Divine Ikubor, clinched three major awards, including the coveted Artiste of the Year, personifying his status as a leading force in contemporary African music.
Rema’s triumphant sweep saw him defeat fellow Nigerian giants Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Asake for the top prize. He also secured the titles of Best Male Artiste in Western Africa and Best African Artiste in R&B & Soul, the latter for his global hit “Calm Down.”
The ceremony, themed “Unstoppable Africa” and broadcast to over 84 countries, saw other top honours go to Burna Boy for Album of the Year and Shallipopi for Song of the Year.
During his acceptance, Rema reflected on his rapid seven-year rise and issued a powerful call to the industry. Reiterating a stance from his 2023 Headies speech, he urged stakeholders to actively “protect the utilities of Afrobeats” and support institutional platforms to ensure the genre’s long-term sustainability, crediting his continent-wide fanbase for his continued success.
