African Entertainment Awards unveil 2023 winners

First presented in 2015, the scheme celebrates African entertainment and achievements globally. Additionally, it aims to unite Africans, including those in the Caribbean, and promote a strong, self-sufficient Africa capable of driving social change worldwide.

The night’s biggest winners were Tanzanian star Diamond Platnumz, who took home the coveted Artist of the Year prize, and Nigeria’s Davido, who won Album of the Year. Rema’s Selena Gomez-assisted ‘Calm Down’ was adjudged Song of the Year. 

Below is the full list of winners:

Best Male Artist

• Davido
• Diamond Platnumz
• Harmonize
• Soolking
• Suldaan Seeraar
• Burna Boy
• Black Sherif
• Asake
• Wizkid
• Olamide
• Wegz
• Nordo
• Tyla ICU
• Adekunle Gold
• BNXN

Best Female Artist

• Yemi Alade
• Tiwa Savage
• Simi
• Haidy Moussa
• Nandy
• Libianca
• Ayra Starr
• Tems
• Manamba Kanté
• Kenza Morsli
• Marwa Loud
• Makhadzi
• Zuchu
• Niniola
• Tyla ICU

Best Hip Hop/Rap Artist

• Nasty C
• Nuchie Meek
• Iba One 
• Sarkodie
• MC Caro
• K.O
• Vector
• M.I Abaga
• Blaqbonez
• Chef 187
• William Last KRM
• Wegz
• Rosa Ree
• A-Q
• Odumodublvck

Best Duo/Group

• P-Square 
• Chanda na Kay
• Toofan
• Sauti Sol
• Cavemen
• Freetown Collective
• Calema
• Disco Misr
• Jano Band
• Mafikizolo
• Mabantu

Best Collaboration

• Rayvanny ft Diamond Platnumz – Nitongoze
• Mickael Marabou ft Davido – Mwen Love Ou
• Davido/Musa Keys–Unavailable
• Rotimi & Nektunez–Make You Say
• Abigail Chams x Marioo – Nani?
• Makhadzi – MaGear ft. Mr Brown 
• Tiwa ft Asake – Loaded
• Libianca–ft Ayra Starr, Omah Lay – People
• Fally Ipupa ft Charlotte Dipanda – Garde du
• Coeur
• Tyla ICU & Tumela_za – Mnike ft. DJ
• Maphorisa, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA &
• Tyron Dee
• Spyro ft. Tiwa savage – Who is your guy
• remix
• Victony – Soweto ft. Don Toliver, Rema &
• Tempoe
• Asake ft Olamide – Amapiano
• Pheelz ft. French Montana – Finnesse
• Rexxie, Naira Marley & Skiibii – (Remix ft.
• Wizkid) – Abracadabra

Best Music Video

• Makhadzi – MaGear ft. Mr Brown
• Rotimi & Nektunez – Make You Say
• Tiwa ft Asake – Loaded
• Abigail Chams & Marioo–Nani?
• Harmonize – Single Again 
• Rayvanny ft. Diamond Platnumz – Nitongoze
• Kizz Daniel – Rich Till I Die (RTID)
• Libianca – People
• Burna Boy – Common Person
• Davido – Unavailable
• Fally Ipupa – Se Yo
• Darline Desca – Manyen M La ft. Kenny Haiti
• Black Bonez – Back in Uni
• Asake – Yoga
• Rexxie, Naira Marley & Skiibii – (Remix ft.
• Wizkid) – Abracadabra

Artist of the Year

• Burna Boy
• Davido
• Diamond Platnumz
• Libianca
• Tiwa Savage
• Yemi Alade
• Ayra Starr
• Asake
• Marwa Loud
• Kizz Daniel
• Harmonize
• Rema
• Wizkid
• Adekunle Gold
• Tyler ICU

Best Dancer/Group

• Ghetto Kids
• Fire K Stars
• Badgyal Cassie
• Afro-African
• Masaka Kids Africana
• Poco Lee
• SayRahChips
• Angel Njigu
• Iziegbe
• Hypers Kids Africa
• Luna
• Fighter Dance Crew
• Chino Kid
• Endurance Grand
• Ikorodu Bois

Best DJ

• DJ Afoo
• DJ Man Chilu
• DJ Black Coffee
• DJ Subeer
• DJ Uncle Waffles
• DJ Zinhle
• DJ Neptune
• DJ Spinall
• DJ Consequence
• DJ Yk Mule
• Travis World
• DJ Shinski
• DJ Tunez
• DJ Edu
• DJ Joe Mfalme

Best Francophone Male Artist

• Soul Bangs
• Iba One
• Fally Ipupa
• Wally Seck
• Sidiki Diabaté
• Nordo
• Stanley Enow
• ElGrandeToto
• Magasco
• Innoss'B
• Serge Beynaud
• Ferre Gola
• Gims
• Santrinos Raphael
• MHD

Best Francophone Female Artist/Group

• Aya Nakamura
• Manamba Kante
• Blanche Bailly
• Yseult
• Viviane Chidid
• Charlotte Dipanda
• Lous and The Yakuza
• Awa Imani
• Maud Elka
• Marwa Loud
• Mariam BA LAGARÉ
• Sona Jobarteh
• Josey
• Safi Diabaté
• Libianca

Best Palop Male Artist

• Nelson Freitas
• Preto Show
• Mr. Bow
• Chetekela
• Calema
• Matias Damásio
• Djodje
• Gerilson Israel
• Mark Exodus
• Rui Orlando
• Lisandro Cuxi

Best Palop Female Artist

• Preta Negra
• Mayra Andrade
• Liloca
• Cubita
• Yasmin
• Soraia Ramos
• Ary
• Bruna Tatiana
• Eneida Marta
• Elida Almeida
• Eva Rap Diva

Best New Artist

• Young Stunna
• Okkama
• Pabi Cooper
• Portable
• Camidoh
• Blaq Bones
• Odumodublvck
• Platform
• Eli Njuchi
• Jzyno
• Prince Swanny
• Jahshii
• Shalipopi
• Seyi Vibez
• Jahllano

Song of the Year

• Asake - Organize
• Labianca “People”
• Davido “unavailable”
• Ayra Starr “rush”
• Harmonize “Single”
• Oxlade - Kulosa-oxlade
• Kizz Daniel- Empire Cough
• Victony - Soweto (Remix) ft. Don Toliver, Rema,
• Tempoe
• Ruger-Asiwaju
• Byron Messia - Taliban
• Teejay - Drift
• Alikiba-Mahaba
• Spyro ft. Tiwa Savage - Who is your Guy?
• Rema, Selena Gomez - Calm Down
• Tyler ICU & Tumelo.za - Mnike ft. DJ Maphorisa,
• Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA & Tyron Dee

Album of the Year

• The Guy by MI Abaga
• Love & Vibes by Nadia Mukami
• First Of All by Diamond Platnumz
• Timeless by Davido
• Love Damini by Burna Boy
• Boy Alone by Omah Lay
• Made For Us by harmonize
• Work of Art by Asake
• Outlawed by Victony
• London Ko by Fatoumata Diawara
• LITA by Camidoh
• Face To Face by Jive Connection, Norman Zulu, and Vusi Mahlasela
• Khan by Mbosso
• Ugcobo by Nomfundo Moh
• Legend Or No Legend by Wande Coal

Rising Star of the Year

• Luciane Dom
• Camidoh
• Lil Goddi
• Appy
• Eli Njuchi
• Rheon Elbourne
• Olando Octave
• coutain
• Treyzah
• Shalipopi
• Guchi
• Fave
• Tribe Mark
• Sheyi Vibez
• Nana Fofiee

Best Male Artist (Central/West Africa) 

• Soul Bang's
• Iba One
• Stanley Enow
• Black Sheriff
• Innoss'B
• Skales
• King Promise
• Uncle Pale
• Adekunle Gold
• Santrinos Raphael
• Asake
• Buju Bxn
• Rema
• Ruger
• Seyi Vibez

Best Female Artist (Central/West Africa)

• Libianca
• Yemi Alade
• Time
• Tiwa Savage
• Manamba Kante
• Ayra Starr
• Fatoumata Diawara
• Wiiyaala
• Sona Jobarteh
• Queen Biz
• Sim
• Mariam BA LAGARÉ
• Teniola
• Niniola
• Gyakie

Best Male Artist East/South/ North Africa

• Eddie Kenzo
• Rayvanny
• Marioo
• Sam Bey
• Yomaps
• Harmonize
• Yared Negu
• Tamer Hosny
• Young Stunna
• ElGrandeToto
• Jah Prayzah
• Meddy
• Otile Brown
• Diamond Platnumz
• Focalistic

Best Female Artist (East/South/North)

• Africa
• Gemma Griffiths
• Maua Sama
• Spice Dianna
• Zuchu
• Haidy Mousa
• Kiin Jamac
• Hewan Gebrewold
• DJ Uncle Waffles
• Nandy
• Marwa Loud
• Nadia Mukami
• Abigail Fields
• Kenza Mosli
• Mpho Sebina
• Kelly Khumalo

Best Comedian

• Bovy
• Basketball Mouth
• Shimumbi
• Michael Blackson
• AY
• Broda Shaggi
• Kenny Blaq
• Loyiso Gola
• Eric Omondi
• William Last KRM
• MCA Tricky
• Mr Patrick
• Gilmario Vemba
• Mammito Eunice
• Sabinus

Best Gospel Artist

• Ephraim Son of Africa
• Christian Shusho
• Mercy Chinwo
• Deborah Lukalu
• Tim Godfrey
• Frank Edwards
• Ntokozo Mbambo
• Prosper Ochimana
• Size 8 Reborn
• Minister Mahendere
• Nathaniel Bassey
• Piesie Esther
• Janet Manyowa
• Mambo Dhuterere
• Christina Shusho

Best Reggae/Dancehall Artist

• Shatta Wale
• Ruger
• Patoranking
• Stone Bwoy
• Spice
• Takana Zion
• Shenseea
• Buju Banton
• Popcaan
• Winky D
• Isasha
• Mr Killa
• Byron Messia
• Skillbeng
• Young Bredda

Latino Artist of the Year

• El Alfa
• Feid
• Bad Bunny
• Ozuna
• Maluma
• J Balvin
• Jay Wheeler
• Rosalia
• Sabastian Yatra
• Karol G
• Shakira
• Yailin the most viral
• Mike Towers
• 6IX9INE
• Nacho

Social Media Influencer of the Year

• Kefilwe Faith Mabote
• Mihlali Ndamase
• Sarah Langa
• John Cole
• Michael Blackson
• Eudoxie Yao
• Adut Akech
• Mouhamadou Ndiaye
• Santiago Matias
• Khaby Lame
• Natasha Thahane
• Tunde Ednut
• Gist Lover
• Kie Kie
• Eniola

Digital Content Creator of the Year

• Mr. Macaroni
• SamSpedy
• Sabinus
• Nadia Jaftha
• Eddie Butita
• Wode Maya
• Anes Tina
• Khaby Lame
• Oum Walid
• Liezl Jayne Strydom
• William Last KRM
• Kie kie
• Noelgoescrazy
• Sonia Tucker
• Lasizwe

Music Producer of the Year

• Michael London Hunter
• Master K.G.
• Lizer Classic
• DJ Maphorisa
• Andre Vibes
• Nessim Pan Production
• Element Eleeeh
• GuiltyBeatz
• Soufiane Az
• Magic Sticks
• Mr Kamera
• Yogo beats
• S2kizzy
• Masterkraft